The Shinobi Trials
by ShadowStar91
Summary: The Trials pit the districts against one another and force them to die for the entertainment of the Capital. However Naruto doesn't care about any of this when his name is called. All he wants is to get home to his familiy and girlfriend without losing himself to the violence and madness of the Trials.
1. 1 1 1

Well, time for a new story. I know some will complain but I'm kind of getting tired of forcing myself to stick to certain stories when I get so many ideas for others. So this is my latest, a Naruto/Hunger Games crossover. Or rather a fusion since there won't be any Katniss or Peeta or any of them. Rather, it will be all Naruto characters going through struggles. However it draws so heavily on the Hunger Games series for its basic background and outline that not listing it in the crossover section would be completely wrong.

This story is a total AU. No Konoha or Suna or Elemental nations. Rather it's going to be like the Hunger Games in that it takes place in a new country that rose from some sort of apocalypse. There is both technology and chakra so expect some ninjutsu to be thrown around just like bullets from guns. Also, there is an evil capital and twelve districts, just like the books. However, for the sake of my story the districts don't have it as bad as they do in the books. Naruto's Twelve will be a place of struggle but not on the same level as Katniss' Twelve. Rather than starvation and struggles to stay alive, it will be more along the lines of struggles not to piss off the Capital, which has a heavy presence in each district.

There are Hunger Games but they'll be named differently since the hunger situation isn't as bad as the books have it and I want to keep some 'ninja' related events and titles in. Like for example, the Hunger Games are renamed the Shinobi Trials. There will be more similar but different changes as the story goes on but I figured I'd get the main one out of the way first.

The chapters will be easy to follow in that they'll be listed in a 1-2-3 format. Like 1-1-1 would be the equivalent of chapter one of the first part of book one while 3-2-4 will be the fourth chapter of the second part of book three. Each part will have 6-8 chapters with three parts for all three books, just like the actual Hunger Games books are.

The story will also be written entirely in first-person point of view like the books are. This is actually a departure for me as I write completely in third person but I want to both try something new and try to keep true to as much of the Hunger Games as possible while making my own Naruto AU plot. Personally I don't like first-person as while it definitely lets you connect to the main character better, it limits the author on what they can say about surroundings or other characters. Everything written has to fit with either the main characters line of thought or be background info that needs to be known to make sense. While in third-person, the author can expand on everything around the main character without having to draw said person into whatever it is they're writing about; like how although Naruto is the main character in the manga, we see things going on with other characters as well. You can't do that in first-person and I feel its limiting, and I don't like limits. Still, one does not become a better writer without trying different styles so this will be written entirely in first-person from Naruto's point of view.

And finally, updates will be sporadic as I'm going to be working on far more than this one story at a time. I'll write as I get inspiration so please don't beg me for updates. I will however, promise you three chapters to this before I head on to other things as my muse dictates. So enjoy my latest story attempt and please review. No flames please, but constructive criticism is nice, especially on any ways to improve my first-person writing if you all find it lacking. Remember, it's my first story in such a style.

* * *

_**1-1-1**_

_**Chosen**_

A loud ringing is the first thing I notice as my senses start to return. Followed by the fact I'm warm and that the sun is beating down on my face. A slight stretching of my arm to my left leads me to fumbling around for my alarm clock. It isn't long after that the ringing stops as I turn it off. A quick peak from my eye at the clock tells me it's ten, right what I set the alarm to the night before. There's an important event going on in the central plaza today at two and I wanted some time to get my bearings as well as enjoy my possible last day of freedom and life.

God I hate these days.

My thoughts are focused on the possible horrors the next few weeks will bring as I get up and get dressed. Pulling a plain orange t-shirt with a red spiral on the back over my wild and spiky yellow hair. Pulling on a pair of regular blue jeans and lacing up my worn black boots before looking in the mirror. The same blue eyes as yesterday look right back at me while I gently scratch my cheek over one of the three whisker markings on it. I have the same three lines on my other cheek. Some think they're scars but the truth is they're just some rather large and strange birthmarks. They're sensitive too, as my girlfriend can attest to.

I trudge my way downstairs from my room to the kitchen where I find my dad drinking something, likely coffee, and staring out the window. My dad is where I got my eye color and hair from. Bright blue eyes and wild yellow hair. His face on the other hand is a bit more angled than mine, though the resemblance is obvious to everybody that isn't blind. He's wearing a white shirt with some flames on the sleeves and bottom while having a pair of his own jeans on as well. I know he's likely just come in from the store next door we own to take a small break and get his drink. There wouldn't be many customers on a day like today anyways since we're all required to go to the event in the central plaza at two.

Did I mention how much I hate these days?

"Morning dad." I call out while pouring myself a glass of milk. He sighs and nods his own greeting back, letting me know he likely hasn't had any customers at all rather than a simple lighter load. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if he actually decided to just keep the place closed today.

"Morning Naruto." Naruto, my name. In full it's Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, but I usually drop the Uzumaki part since my mom died. The only reason it wasn't dropped from my mother's name upon marriage is because she was one of the last few survivors of the Uzumaki clan. My dad, Minato Namikaze, never cared about that though and simply loved my mother, Kushina Uzumaki, because of who she was. "You know that's not going to cut it for the selection." My dad points to my clothes as he cuts my thoughts off. I look down slightly before shrugging.

"I could say the same to you." He nods. "Besides, I've got time to change. I just don't want to get all dressed up for my possible death right now." It's a testament to how true that statement is when the only reaction on from him is to nod in agreement. At sixteen years old, I've gone through the selection four times already. Only this year and next before I'm finally too old to be in the running. "I'll be back later dad. I'm gonna spend a bit of time with my friends."

"Say hi for me." I hear before I walk out the door and into the sun. I squint for a second before my eyes adjust to the bright light and I can see clearly again. With a slight sigh I start walking at a slow pace down the street. My thoughts though go back to just what today is. And why it's important.

I live in District Twelve, the last stop if one were to tour the country. There's the Capital and another eleven districts just like this one before us. There used to be a thirteenth district, but it was wiped off the map in the war. This country all came out of what was once a much larger government and world. Nobody knows what it was exactly as practically nothing survived it but something happened to the old world. Some kind of Armageddon. And we, the country of the current time, are what rose from that bleak and desolate land. For a while the districts worked together with the Capital and things were great. And then the Capital got greedy, at least that's what really happened. If you believe their propaganda that's shoved down our throat in schools it was the districts that decided a capital was no longer needed and revolted. Regardless of who started it, war broke out between the thirteen districts and the Capital. The Capital had the power of the best technology of the country as well as small portions of each districts' specialty. Each district on the other hand only had a few specially trained warriors called shinobi that could actually fight back. The Capital had a few of their own shinobi as well; it was just that they had more fighters using technology to back them up. The end result was the Capital completely wiping district Thirteen off the map. There were a few survivors but they all scattered to the other twelve districts to stay alive.

My mother draws her lineage from a couple of these survivors incidentally.

After Thirteen fell the other districts were terrified and immediately surrendered to the Capital. Said Capital immediately set up some rather cruel and vicious new laws to make sure another rebellion couldn't happen. One such law created the very reason I may be marked for death later today, the Shinobi Trials.

Since our fighters were called shinobi and a warrior's true skill is only discovered and made through life and death combat, the Trials were named as such. To keep the districts discouraged as well as forcibly remind them of the Capitals' power, once a year two people between the ages of twelve and eighteen, one boy and one girl, are forced to compete in a free-for-all battle to the death for the Capitals' entertainment. To further demoralize the districts, we are forced to celebrate the Trials as if they were a great sporting event and as if participating in them was some great honor. We're even forced to watch them on TV and then celebrate when the champion makes there scheduled tour, even if that champion happened to kill the people from our district.

The Trials begin every June 1rst and go until July 31rst if they must before the Capital forces the competitors into a harder challenge designed to quickly kill them off within a couple hours. To the best of my knowledge, this sudden death round has only been needed once. Every child's name is entered once when they're twelve. Then a second time the next year until they're entered six times on their eighteenth and final year. Although if things are hard for you or your family you can agree to take something called the Trial Boost. Essentially it's just getting your name thrown in an extra time in exchange for food and oil. I've only had to do this once when I was thirteen so my name is currently going to be in the pickings six times when it should be five.

I'm drawn out of my thoughts when I reach the door I was heading for. A quick knock and it's opened by an older woman with red triangles on her cheeks and wild brown hair. "Morning Tsume-san. Kiba here?" Tsume just gives me a small grin before stepping aside to let me in.

"Kiba! Naruto's here so hurry your ass up!" She shouts out as I walk in. I hear some grumbling as well as small footsteps before looking to the side and seeing a large white dog trotting up to me. I reach out and pet the beast as I know it to be Akamaru, Kiba's pet. Kiba and I found the dog when we were six and with Tsume's help since she was a vet, we brought it back to full health. My dad didn't want a dog so Kiba begged his mother to let him keep it and she just couldn't say no. Since then Akamaru has been a regular part of the Inuzuka clan and has more than earned his keep by driving away a few burglars and making sure their house is pest free. It also helped that Kiba's sister Hana adored the pup the moment we brought him in and was helping Kiba beg their mother for him.

"Yo, s'up Naruto?" Turning to my right shows me my best friend since five years old. With brown spiky hair in a style just like mine and the same red triangles on his cheeks as his mother. Kiba was wearing his usual outfit of a black shirt and black jeans with a furred grey coat over it. "I figured you'd be spending the time before selection with your girlfriend." Kiba, being sixteen, was up for selection like I was. The only difference is he's never had to get his name entered in an extra time since up until last year his sister did it for him.

"I've got almost four hours. What's wrong with hanging with you and Akamaru for a couple?"

"Touché." He admitted before practically shoving me out the door with the dog following. "See ya later mom!" He called back before letting me walk on my own and heading down the street. I shake my head clear of the confusion before walking up next to him with Akamaru between us.

"Why did you just push me out of your house?"

"'Cause Hana-nee-chan is feeling really upset about my chances of getting pulled without her there to volunteer to go in and help me. She's getting like this about all my friends, you especially since she knows you so well." _'Yeah that sounds like her.' _I think in my head. Hana is no longer eligible but when she was, she promised me and Kiba that if either of us were chosen then she'd volunteer to take the girls place so that we'd have an ally to trust in the Trials. She would've fought alongside us before letting herself die so that we could come home. It was touching really, how much she cared for the people close to her. Ironically, not once did her name get called and neither did anybody she'd sacrifice herself for. Even when she and others like myself have taken extra entries for food. "She's been crying all morning about how if we're grabbed then she won't be there to protect us and we'll be 'all alone' in the arena." Kiba quoted all alone with his fingers before snorting as I laughed with him.

All alone, yeah right. The Trials are televised at all times with hundreds if not thousands of cameras. We'd be alone physically but never entirely as the whole nation could watch us from home.

"If she's this bad now then how bad do you think she'll get at the selection? Hell, how much do you wanna bet that if either of us are chosen she'll go and try to storm the building and volunteer even though she's too old?" Kiba snorted and shook his head.

"I don't take sucker bets Naruto."

"Strange, you said that same thing right before you lost all your money gambling with me."

"Shut up!" I break out laughing as we walk towards the small wooded area on the edge of the district. Surrounding the entire district is a fence that's supposed to be electrified but in reality is only for around four hours a day around noon. People have gone past the fence into the wilderness to hunt and forage for food before by simply climbing over or going under the fence when the power was off. Kiba and I have done it ourselves before actually and are even pretty skilled hunters, though his sister Hana is about five times better than either of us.

While we don't go outside today, we spend a bit of time relaxing in the area and playing around with Akamaru. At least for an hour or so before I notice someone coming up near us. I grin before motioning for Kiba to keep quiet as I climb up a tree. Kiba sees the person walking up and shoots me a quick smile before acting like I'm not hovering over his head in the trees.

"Hey what's up?" He greets before a feminine voice answers.

"Hi Kiba. I heard you were hanging around with Naruto-kun. Do you know where he is?" She asks. Kiba hides his grin by turning away.

"I don't actually. He said he just remembered something important and vanished on me before I could ask what. I'll let him know you're looking if I see him though." She thanked him and started walking away before I realize it's the perfect time to strike. With a practiced ease I leap out of the tree and wrap her in a hug as I pull her to the ground on top of me, her back to my chest. She lets out a high pitched squeal before laughing as she realizes what just happened.

"Gotcha!"

"Let me go Naruto-kun!"

"Nope! I'm gonna keep a hold of you forever Sakura-chan." Sakura Haruno, my girlfriend and a girl I've loved since I first laid eyes on her. She has light pink hair that goes down to her mid back and beautiful emerald eyes. Right now she's wearing a red short sleeved shirt with a white circle on the back as well as a pair of skinny jeans. She's also sixteen, like Kiba and I. I bury my face into her neck and plant a kiss on it before inhaling her scent deeply. Fresh strawberries, the same as the shampoo she always uses.

"No fair Naruto-kun. You know I don't have any of that chakra training like you! Let me up!" She gasps out between her giggles. I do this with her so often that she knows it's just a fun game and that I'll let her up eventually. I just want a certain something first.

"Come on Sakura-chan. You know what I want."

"Never!"

"Then we're going to be on the ground for a while."

"But we can't."

"Then just let me get it."

"No!" I happened to look up at Kiba who's just standing off to the side with his dog grinning down at us. Sakura glances back and sees that I'm grinning and am now nudging my head towards her with a silent sign for Kiba. "Naruto-kun, no. I mean it." She starts as Kiba just laughs and walks forward. "I'm not joking Naruto-kun!" Her voice is starting to get a bit distressed but the smile never leaves my face, even as Kiba comes up. Kiba bends down and reaches for the girls hands and she starts struggling in my grip. I'm about to laugh before suddenly Kiba switches and rips my arms off Sakura, allowing her to scramble to her feet. She's panting but she still has a smile on her face as I sit up and pout. "Thank you Kiba."

"No problem Sakura."

"Aw, come on. I was just gonna have him hold you down while I tickled you Sakura-chan."

"Not today Naruto-kun."

"But I was gonna keep going until you promised me some of your mom's cookies!" I jump to my feet before wrapping Sakura in a one armed embrace. She leans her head on my shoulder as we start walking back home.

"She refuses to make them on selection day until after it's clear we're safe for another year." Sakura lectures me with the same line I hear every year around this time as I keep up my pout. It's not my fault her mom makes the best damn cookies I've ever had. "Besides," She starts before playfully shoving me a bit. "You took all of them last time, you glutton."

"What can I say? Your mom is an awesome cook."

"And you're not." Kiba chimed in. Sakura sighed before elbowing the Inuzuka in the chest as I laughed. It was really the only thing Sakura tried to learn and could fail at. She was one of the smartest girls in school, while she didn't bother learning any type of chakra exercise outside of the basics she was still fit, and she was popular. In fact cooking was the only thing she couldn't seem to do no matter how hard she tried. Anything more complex than a sandwich and things tended to get burned. Usually her as well.

The three of us make small talk before Kiba breaks off to head home and prepare for the selection later. I just keep walking with Sakura, knowing full well that I'll likely end up running home in about half an hour to get ready myself. But I don't really care. Today could be the beginning of the end for me, Sakura, or both of us if we're chosen for the Trial. I want to spend as much time with her as possible before it could happen.

* * *

"It's nice to see you Naruto-kun."

"You two Masaki-kaa-san." Sakura's mother looks almost exactly like the girl. The only true differences being she's taller and has a more filled out figure than her daughter. The woman has also been a second mother to me after my own died when I was four. Just as my dad has been a second father to Sakura since her father died when she was six.

"Come on Naruto-kun." Sakura sighs out as she pulls me by the arm to her room. I flash her mother a quick smile before following the girl. A few steps down the hall and I'm in here room sitting with her on her bed. The room is the same as it always is, mostly a light pink with a few clothes or books lying on the floor and her desk respectively. Sakura's studying to be a doctor while I just plan on taking over my dad's shop eventually.

If either of us live that long at least.

I wrap my arms around Sakura and hold her close as she cups my face with her hands and kisses me. Her lips are soft and conform perfectly to my own as I kiss back. The two of us blot out the rest of the world as we focus on only the other. I fall onto my back and pull Sakura down on top of me as we keep our lips together. It's only when air becomes a necessity that we break apart. "I'm going to need to get ready soon."

"Yeah, me too." I mutter in response. Neither of us want to go to the selection but it's required by law. Running from it would get not only us killed, but our families as well. All to serve as a message to the rest of Twelve to obey the law. Neither of us want to think about the possible fate of the other either. If one of us is chosen, it's highly unlikely that we'd come back. Twelve hasn't had a victor in over thirty years. "You know I love you right?"

"I love you too."

"Then I want you to promise me something." Sakura tilts her head up to face me as she had been resting it on my chest for the past few minutes. "If I'm called and I die, I want you to move on."

"Naruto-kun…"

"Your happiness is all I really care about here Sakura-chan. If you can find it with another then I want you to. Even if I'm dead, the last thing I'd ever want is for you to lose your smile." A smile she now gives me before leaning up and kissing me again.

"You don't have to worry Naruto-kun, since you'll still be right here with me the entire time. Neither of us will be selected so what's there to worry about?" She kisses me again before I can answer so I just drop my argument and go with it. I love this girl and that'll never change.

* * *

I'm standing next to Kiba as we wait in the central plaza of the district for the selection to start. Both of us are wearing plain white button-up shirts with black dress pants. They're nice clothes that we only ever wear for funerals or selections, which are essentially the same thing. We're in a small penned in area for sixteen year old boys while the older kids are behind us and the younger in front. To our right are the girls in pretty dresses, sorted the same way by age as the boys are. Across from us are two sides, one being the adults and those too young for the selection sitting in a crowd while the other is a large stage in front of the mayors' house.

The stage is decorated with the Capital insignia and colors while a few people are hooking up the microphones and cameras for the broadcast that will be starting soon. Sitting on the stage are the mayor, some old guy I never bothered learning the name of, and the person from the Capital meant to be the spokesperson of Twelve. A tall white haired man named Mizuki. Nobody's ever really liked Mizuki, and it's obvious he doesn't like us either. Our district hasn't had a winner in so long; we're usually counted out of the Trials before they even begin. Not only that but the other districts have won at least twice more than we have so he feels he's stuck with the worst district and lets us know it too. Before and after the cameras are on he does nothing but scowl at us and refer to us as weaklings and failures. When the cameras are broadcasting though he's all smiles as if he loves us. We hate him and don't even bother hiding it.

Pretty soon we're given the signal to start so the mayor steps up and reads the customary speech about how the Trials came about, how they're a great honor, and how we all should show our respect and adoration to the mighty Capital for sparing the districts after the war. It's bullshit and we all know it. Just as we know we're powerless to stop it. He finishes up before turning to the side and welcoming the past victors to the stage. In Twelve's entire history we've had four, however only two are left now. One is a man with long and spiky white hair as well as red tear tracks running down his cheeks. He wears a red shirt and blue jeans and gives the crowd a slight and sad smile as he knows we hate this. He hates it too, but rules are rules. His name is Jiraiya.

Following him is a woman with blond hair styled into two ponytails down her back and a purple diamond mark on her forehead. She's wearing a tan shirt with a green jacket over it and some pants with high heels. Unlike Jiraiya, she doesn't bother smiling to the crowd or even acknowledging them. She just takes a long drink out of a bottle in her hand and scowls at everything. Her name is Tsunade Senju.

Jiraiya won the Trials around forty years ago when he was seventeen. Since then he returned and lived off his winnings like other victors, though he also took up writing books. I don't know what the books are about but they're apparently famous across the entire country.

Tsunade won the year after Jiraiya when she was eighteen; however she took up drinking and seclusion when she got back. The reason why was simple and well known too. She had been sent to the Trials with the love of her life and had been forced to watch him die in front of her by a chosen from district Three. She's hated the Capital and that district ever since.

The mayor gives out a few more words about the Trials before stepping aside and letting Mizuki take the stage. The man has a large grin plastered on his face that's actually quite convincing. "Welcome one and all to the selection of the district Twelve chosen!" He calls out. He pulls out two clear bowls filled with name slips of the eligible kids before setting one down. "Let's start with the ladies, shall we?" He then plunges his hand into the bowl and digs around for a bit before pulling out a white sheet and setting the bowl down. "Our girl chosen is none other than Kin Tsuchi!"

Kin Tsuchi. I know her a little as she's one of Sakura's friends. She steps up to the stage and reveals herself to the world with a slightly scared look on her face. Kin has long dark hair and fair skin while she's currently wearing a dull grey dress that hugs her budding figure. I know she loves music and can make some nice melodies out of bells and chimes but I have absolutely no idea about any combat skill she may have. I don't think Twelve is likely to have a female winner this year. I idly notice in the crowd of spectators that one girl is barely holding herself back from breaking out into either a string of curses or running up to take Kin's place. Of course that would be Tayuya, Kin's best friend who turn nineteen only a month ago. As quickly as the red headed girl would volunteer for Kin, she knows she can't.

I let out a sigh of relief at Sakura not being chosen before looking over to the girls section to find her. It doesn't take long since her hair is easily noticeable among the crowd. We find the others and I give her a light smile she returns. She's safe for another year. I mouth out that I love her and she smiles and is about to do the same before Mizuki speaks up again. Apparently I hadn't noticed that he grabbed the other bowl and dug out the males' name.

"Joining Kin in the Trials will be Naruto Namikaze!" My face freezes and pales in fear even as it's still locked on Sakura's.


	2. 1 1 2

_**1-1-2**_

_**Goodbye**_

"Joining Kin in the Trials will be Naruto Namikaze!"

No. That couldn't possibly be right. How could I get called? I know for a fact there's a seventeen year old guy behind me who's entered in twice as much as me because he's taken the Boost so many times to feed his many siblings. I know there are plenty of other people with their names in more than me as well that are younger. So how can it be me? Sakura got away for another year so how could I have gotten called?

These thoughts run through my head even as Sakura's face pales and she looks horrified. I know my own must look similar and it's only when Kiba nudges me that I realize that I'm not dreaming. A quick glance at his face tells me he won't be volunteering for me either. We had an agreement with each other that we wouldn't volunteer for the other and instead would focus on making sure our families stayed strong after we left. He nudges me again and it finally sinks in.

I have been chosen for the Shinobi Trials.

I school my face as best I can into a bored look, desperately hoping that the cameras couldn't pick me out of the crowd by my reaction. If I show fear I'll be perceived as weak. The weak are left to their own and die within the first few days. It's with slow measured steps I walk up to the stage. I make it about halfway there and am mentally applauding myself for keeping up my bored look before I'm crashed into from behind and arms wrap around me.

"No! You can't go Naruto-kun!" Sakura's rushed out from her spot and is now holding me back from going up on stage like I'm supposed to. I know that I have to get up to the stage now. I've taken too long and the Capital's lapdogs, the ANBU, will be moving in to force me soon.

"Sakura-chan, let go." My voice is quiet. I don't really want her to let go and she knows it. She just buries her head into my back and tightens her grip as I stand frozen where she grabbed me. "Let go Sakura-chan." I'm louder and tad more forceful now but she hasn't budged. "Sakura let go!" I shout and she flinches but still refuses to let go. I'm about to forcefully remove her, as much as it would pain me to do so, when hands grab hers from behind and pull her off. I turn around to see that Kiba has her with a subdued look on his face while Sakura is struggling in his grip and crying freely. He nods his head towards the stage as he pulls Sakura back for a second.

"Good luck Naruto." I just nod before turning back and get onto the stage while Kiba continues to pull Sakura further back from the stage. She has stopped struggling at this point but is still crying and staring at me with her saddened and horrified eyes, no doubt thinking this will be the last time she ever gets to see me. Mizuki looks from me to Sakura before getting back into character as he needs to finish these announcements up.

"Well now, let's have a round of applause for our two chosen this year." He calls out as Kin and I stand before the crowd with the mayor and past victors behind us. I'm betting it's a shock to the Capital people watching in their homes when not one person even moves their hands to clap. Sakura's outburst at my selection seems to have forcibly reminded everyone of just how wrong these Trials are and now the crowd is doing what they can to spite the Capital. It's small and likely doesn't even make a ripple in the long run but the message is clear.

We do not agree. We do not like this.

Mizuki has us shake hands so I turn and shake Kin's noting that while she's doing her best to seem impassive about the situation she has the same fear in her eyes that I'm pretty sure was in mine a few minutes ago if it's not still there. The mayor steps up and gives one last speech about the Trials and the Capital that I barely register even hearing before Kin and I are ushered into the large building behind us and then placed in separate rooms.

* * *

Each chosen gets an hour to say goodbye to any loved ones or friends that come to visit while they prep the train for departure and take down the decorations for the selection. It's a nice room with large and fluffy furniture that's too expensive for anyone in Twelve to afford normally. I barely sit down when my father bursts through the door and grabs me in a hug. "Dad, I…"

"I don't want to hear it Naruto." He interrupts. "A parent always believes their child, no matter the situation. And I believe you can do this." His words cut me short from the response I was going to give him. "I've trained you as best I could for pretty much your whole life. You can fight, you can hunt, and you can survive. I won't accept anything but your best out there, you understand?" I nod as he lets go and takes a step back. He then reaches into his back pocket and digs around for a second. "You're allowed one item to represent your district in the arena Naruto. I want you to wear this." He pulls out a black headband with a metal plate on it and hands it to me. I turn it over and gasp at seeing the spiral leaf symbol on the metal before looking at him in shock.

The spiral leaf the symbol of the rebels back during the war. How my father got this is beyond me seeing as they were not only collected and destroyed but families had been killed for having them. The Capital wanted to demoralize and destroy any evidence or stirrings of rebellion after the war. While people haven't been killed for having these in years, I'm unsure if that's because the Capital stopped caring or if it's because they couldn't find anymore.

"Dad I…" I can't even finish my sentence but my meaning is obvious. Wearing this will be a literal slap to the face of the 'all-knowing' Capital. It would be the ultimate insult to them. Not only that but it would also alert the Capital to the fact that someone had this before me and gave it to me. Likely one of my visitors, which are recorded for document purposes. "Dad, do you know what you're risking by giving me this?"

"I do, and I don't care. Naruto, these Trials are wrong and if I can speak out against them through you then I will if you're willing to let me. Plus the metal plate is sturdy; I'm willing to bet that it could protect you from a head injury or two." He responds with a small smile. I just stare at the metal for a little while longer before setting down and wrapping my dad in a hug. He returns it as I can feel a few tears wetting my shoulder as he's only a few inches taller than me. "I love you Naruto."

"You too dad."

* * *

My next visit is Sakura's mother. It's short though. She comes in crying, hugs me and wishes me luck before handing me a few cookies she had left over from the last time she made them. I thank her and ask her to help Sakura if I get killed and she simply promises that she will. She only stays for a few seconds longer before rushing out of the room crying. I barely collapse into the comfy couch before the door is slammed open and I'm slammed down onto the couch as Sakura is on top of me crying and clutching herself to my chest. My shirt is quickly soaked by her tears as I wrap my arms around her and rub her back slowly. "I'm sorry for yelling at you." She hardly seems to notice as she's crying into my chest so much.

"You idiot." She mumbles before pulling her head off my chest and staring at me with teary eyes. "Why does it have to be you? Why did it have to be your name?" I kiss her to stop her from ranting on about whys. It wouldn't change a thing and I'm running out of time before I'm taken to the train for the Capital trip. "Naruto-kun…"

"Listen to me Sakura-chan. I don't care what you see, I don't care what happens with the people around here but you need to stay strong, you got me?" She nods as she wipes away some of her tears so I give a small smile and kiss her again. "I love you so much. If I don't make it back, I want you to promise me that you'll move on. I'm not saying it has to be right away, honestly I'd feel insulted if you did. But I don't want you to dwell on me for the rest of your life. Remember me, but don't let it stop you from finding happiness." She stares at me for a few seconds before responding.

"I will, if you'll promise me something in return."

"Anything Sakura-chan." And she knows I mean it. One thing she's always said she loves about me is that I'm a man of my word. I never back down from a promise and will willingly go through hell and back to keep one.

"I want you to promise me that you'll come home to me." My eyes flash open at the implication. I had already pretty much resigned myself to death. I was going to give it a shot and hope for the best but I have for the most part already written myself off and made peace with my death sentence. Luckily neither my father nor second mother actually made me promise anything so although they believed in me and wished me luck, I wouldn't feel bad about being killed and not coming home. But Sakura isn't like them. She likely knows I've already made peace with my fate and she doesn't want that.

I'm trapped and I know it. She knows it as well. I won't be able to think straight if I know Sakura would be miserable for the rest of her life because of my death, it's why I want her to promise me to move on. But she knows I'm not going to be coming back. So she's forcing me to. I never leave a promise unfulfilled. She's counting on that to bring me home.

"I can't promise that Sakura-chan."

"You have to Naruto-kun. It's the only thing that'll set my mind at ease. I want you to promise me. Promise you'll come home. Promise you'll come back to me." She's staring at me now with her tear filled eyes. She'd fake the look occasional when she wanted something I didn't particularly want to give or do but I could still never hold out against it for long. Knowing the sadness behind the look is real now is only making it worse.

"Sakura-chan…"

"Promise me Naruto-kun."

"I… I promise Sakura-chan." I finally mumble. She however doesn't look satisfied.

"Promise what?"

"I promise, Sakura-chan, I'll do my best to come back."

"Not your best. I want you to promise me that you will come home." I know if I say those words then I'll be damned. I'll have to come back to Twelve or she'll hate me forever for breaking the most important promise I've ever made. But I also know she'll hate me all the more if don't make the promise in the first place. And the one thing I've never wanted was for her to hate me.

"I promise you, I'll come home." For some reason, seeing her smile when I say those words instantly makes me believe I actually can do it. "I promise you Sakura-chan that I'll come back a victor. I'll come back and then, with the money I get for winning, I'll make sure the two of us are set for life. I promise you that the first thing I'm going to do when I come back is kiss you and hug the life out of you." The more I talk the more I believe it. The more I feel that I can do it.

I can complete the Trials.

"I love you Naruto-kun."

"I know. And I love you too." We share one last kiss before a guard opens the door to retrieve me. Sakura steps back as I stand. I hold her in my arms one last time before leaving with the guard, even as the tears have started anew on her face. Silently I promise myself that I have to come back now. I can't let Sakura cry.

* * *

The train is a shiny white contraption but I don't get a better look before I'm pushed inside to a room with Kin, Mizuki, Jiraiya and Tsunade already there and waiting at a table. I'm given a seat as a glass of water is set in front of me as well as a menu while the train lurches forward before picking up speed and heading out. In just a few minutes the scenery outside the windows is nothing but a blur of green and blue of the trees and the skies. We all order some meals but nobody talks. Mizuki is scowling at the others at the table, Tsunade is just drinking away from her bottle and ignoring the rest of us while Kin and I are looking around the train. I do notice out of the corner of my eye that Jiraiya is eyeing Tsunade every few seconds.

"So…" I try to start. Tsunade ignores me and Mizuki scoffs. Jiraiya is the only one to actually bother with people it seems.

"Yeah, so." He mutters out before sighing. "Alright you two, for now just worry about having a good meal. Afterwards we'll watch the selection recaps and then we can talk about the Trials." He tells us before going back to what he was doing, which was scribbling something in a notepad on his lap while glancing at the blond woman to his right occasionally. I happen to glance at Kin and see she seems just as lost and both under and over whelmed as I am. Overwhelmed by the reality of going to the Trials, lost by the way things apparently work, and under whelmed by the actions of two champions and the district liaison.

"What are you drawing?" Kin asks, to try and keep the silence away I'd wager. Jiraiya glances at Tsunade again before answering.

"Not drawing, I'm writing."

"Writing?"

"He's an author." I cut in. "He took up writing after his victory but I don't know what books he writes. I just know from my dad that they're apparently big hits all over the country." Jiraiya smiles and nods.

"That's right. Tell me, have either of you heard of the Icha Icha series?" I groan as Kin actually feigns vomiting.

"Egh, you mean those porn books my sensei always reads are yours?"

"They are not porn! They are romantic literature with a few adult erotic scenes!" He shot back with an exaggerated movement to go along with it. I roll my eyes as I know Kin's description is far more accurate. Kiba reads those books and while what Jiraiya was _technically_ accurate, it would be more accurate to flip his descriptions and say they are erotic literature with a few romance scenes.

"They're porn! Plain and simple!"

"Romance novels!"

"Porn!

"Romance!"

"Porn!"

"Romance!" I'm biting back my laughter at this point while Mizuki looks bored rather than scowling while Kin and Jiraiya glare at each other. Tsunade grunts before finally speaking.

"I think I like this girl." It's the first time she's spoken since she came up to the stage. She's now eyeing Kin with a slight grin as Jiraiya looks struck between amusement and insulted.

"But Tsunade-hime…"

"Shut up Jiraiya and write your hentai trash somewhere else. Perverted old toad." She mutters after scolding the man. Kin's actually snickering at this point, while I'm finding more entertainment here than I've seen on TV in my entire life.

"At least I'm not some wrinkled old slug hiding behind a genjutsu…" The man fires back. Tsunade's grip on her bottle of alcohol tightens, as noted by the fact the bottle cracks, as she faces Jiraiya.

"You wanna run that by me again? I didn't quite catch that." Jiraiya is now cowering in his seat as Kin and I are openly laughing at this point. Jiraiya fires a glare at us but we ignore it. We're possibly dying in a few days, why should we care if he glares at us?

* * *

The selection recaps are held for us in another room with a large TV in it as well as plush chairs for all of us. As we sit down I think on how the process is done. Each district is done at a different time and staggered throughout the day so that in essence one could watch every selection and not need to see the nights recap. However since we of the districts are required to go to our own, only the Capital could truly see them all the first time.

The selections are done in district order so I know they'll start with One and then end with ours in Twelve. First the screen flickers on and then we hear the Capital anthem along with an image of their insignia. Then a small introduction to the announcers and the selections are started. I try my best to keep track of faces or names but to be honest few make an impression on me at first glance. The girl from one looks like she's terrified; a boy from four is grinning like a madman as his name is called; an older eighteen year old giant is picked and towers over the girl chosen alongside him from six; a young child from nine; and then us.

In my head I'm moaning in regret as I see that the cameras actually did pick me out from my fear stricken face when I'm first called. The announcers have a field day with romance speculations when Sakura slams into me from behind to try and hold me back. They also comment on how unpatriotic Twelve seems when the crowd refuses to clap for us. A few pre-Trial predictions are made just off appearances before the Capital mark and anthem are up again and the TV cuts out.

"Alright then. This year looks like it'll have some tough competitors." Jiraiya starts off as he turns to us. "So first things first, do you two want to work together for anything or be separate?"

"What's the point in working together when we have to kill each other in the end?" Kin asks the question on my mind as well. Tsunade's gone back into her bottle as Mizuki cuts out to go to sleep. Jiraiya lets out a small sigh but then starts talking again.

"I know, but I worked with my district opponent for a while myself before we split up to avoid that. I'm asking if you want to do the same or just be separate from the beginning." I glance at Kin and see her now staring at her hands in thought before looking at me and sighing.

"Apart would be better." I answer. "We're not friends really, more like she's friends with my girlfriend. And if we work together then the eventual split and possible fight is going to be all the harder. I don't think I'd be able to hurt her either anyways." Kin sends me a small smile at that admission before nodding to Jiraiya. He stares at us with a serious look before asking his next question.

"Okay then, do you want to keep your skills secret from each other or do you mind the other knowing. Since you'll be separate from one another, you may end up fighting and it's always good to have a secret trump card in a fight."

"Doesn't matter to me."

"Me either."

"Alright then, tomorrow morning we'll talk about your skills over breakfast. For now, get a good night's sleep and make peace with what you have to cause it's guaranteed at least one of you won't be coming back." He then gets up and leaves for his room without another word. We glance at Tsunade for a second to see if she has anything else to say only to realize she'd fallen asleep in her chair sometime while we were all talking. Kin and I get up quietly and leave to our rooms but right as I'm about to open the door to mine she stops in front of me and blocks my way.

"Did you really mean that?"

"Mean what?" I ask, somewhat confused as to what she's talking about. And why she's really stopping me for that matter since the toll of the day is starting to show and I want sleep.

"That you wouldn't be able to hurt me." Oh, that. I look to the side before nodding.

"Well, kind of. I guess I could hurt you if I need to, but actually killing you is another story altogether. A punch or cut to get away from a fight wouldn't bother me too much but killing you would leave a bad taste in my mouth." She nods her head in response.

"Yeah, same here." She then fidgets a little before looking me in the eye. "Listen, uh, if you make it back and I don't could you tell Tayuya I'm sorry? I mean, I promised her I'd do my best to come back but that's no guarantee." I blink as I realize she must've made the same promise I did just to another person.

"Uh sure I guess."

"And I promise, if I make it back I'll try and keep Sakura happy alright?" I nod with a small smile.

"Thanks Kin." She nods and gives another smile before moving out of the way and heading to her room as I watch her leave for a second. Then I shake my head and sigh as I open the door and walk into my own room. It's not much considering this is a train and yet at the same time I know for a fact the bedspread alone likely cost more than everything in my entire room combined. There's a dresser filled with clothes as well as a private bathroom and a small intercom next to the door. I take off my shirt and pants before hopping under the covers in just my boxers. It's not like things happen during this part of the trip so it's safe to relax. Plus since I may die soon, I may as well make as much use of the rich setting as I can.

* * *

"Okay, so what can the two of you do?" Jiraiya asks as we're all sitting at the table eating breakfast. Tsunade actually seems to be paying attention now so I suspect that she simply ignores the first day since nothing of interest or importance likely happens. Either that or she's just curious as to what we can do. Either way, as long as she's actually going to participate in the conversation this time then it's an improvement.

"Do you want to go first?" Kin asks so I shrug before cutting back into my pancakes. "I'm a decent enough marksman with senbon needles and I know a few genjutsu that work off sound. I can hunt small animals and I know a little more than basic first aid but that's about it." Jiraiya nods without a word before facing me.

"I was taught some decent taijutsu by my dad and can use only a couple jutsu. One is the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, which lets me make living breathing clones of myself that can act independently and the other is the Rasengan, an offensive close-range ninjutsu my father developed." I tell before going back to my food. Jiraiya nods his head.

"So the two of you are a long range support fighter and a close range combat type." The older man summarizes. We nod our agreement as Tsunade scoffs.

"What is it with people today? Neither of you even hinted at knowing medical ninjutsu."

"That's cause we don't." I answer. "In fact, I don't even know anybody that knows medical jutsu." Tsunade looks shocked by that before glancing at Kin and seeing her nod in agreement. The older blond runs a hand down her face before going back to her bottle of sake.

"Great, we've got another pair of dead fools."

"Hey! Just because I don't know how to heal myself with some fancy jutsu doesn't mean I'm automatically going to die." I don't know why since I had written myself off for dead earlier but hearing her tell me I'm dead just because I don't know a certain type of jutsu gets on my nerves. Maybe it's because I promised Sakura I'd come back and don't want to hear otherwise but Tsunade's adamant declaration of my assured failure makes me mad.

"Brat, the only reason I won was because I could heal my own wounds which kept me in better condition than everyone else. It's been seen in plenty of Trials since that practitioners of medical ninjutsu had a much better survival rate and chance at winning. Why don't they teach that stuff at your schools?"

"Maybe because they don't have anyone skilled enough beyond a couple minor jutsu to do so?" Jiraiya cut in. Tsunade instantly whirled on him.

"Oh don't start this shit again you old pervert. I'm not going to waste my time going and teaching my skills to a bunch of brats when it's guaranteed that a lot of them are going to die!" Apparently they have this argument every year if that response is anything to go by.

"Well if they don't have anybody skilled enough to teach the art how can they be expected to know? Besides, you could save a lot of lives if you did."

"I have better things to do than teach some brats!"

"Like what?" Kin shouts, now getting angry at the older woman. "It's well known in Twelve that you just stay at home all day and get drunk! Hell, outside of the Trials you're only seen going out to by food and even more alcohol! You don't have any right to complain when you're not even willing to try and help with the problem!" Tsunade is sitting there stunned as Jiraiya glances from the girl to the woman and back. Personally I agree with every word Kin said. To show my support I start clapping, making sure to send a smile towards her and a disapproving glance towards Tsunade. If she really is going to complain about something that she herself could easily fix just because she's too busy drinking away her life then she doesn't deserve the right to do so. Jiraiya just grins as I clap as Tsunade seems to regain some of her bluster by taking another drink.

"You better hope you're tougher than you look girly. In the Capital, you're mine."

* * *

**Translation Notes**

Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)- A ninjutsu that separates the users chakra into equal parts to make living breathing clones of the user. The clones can think for themselves and cast jutsu of their own making them very versatile and able to be used in a variety of situations. An interesting effect of the jutsu is that when the clones dispel, whether by command or by taking too much damage, the user will recover whatever chakra the clone had left as well as gain the clones memories. The memory transfer feature makes this an ideal jutsu for recon missions or training.

Rasengan (Spiraling Sphere)- A seal-less ninjutsu that is formed by swirling pure chakra in the palm of the users hand. Since the jutsu requires no hand-seals, it can be formed and used in a second allowing for quick surprise strikes in close combat. The jutsu itself is very dangerous as well as it grinds away at whatever it hits. Striking a human body grinds away layers of skin and can even rupture organs and destroy bones if enough power is place into the jutsu. As a side note, the jutsu is incomplete as it still lacks an element. Both its creator Minato Namikaze and his son Naruto have been working on trying to fix this flaw in their spare time.

**Author's Notes**

I'm kind of disappointed that I only got a single review, but then again this isn't in a very big or popular section so I guess it's to be expected somewhat. Maybe I'll get more as the story continues? Anyways, next chapter is the Capital and the first impressions on the other chosen. I gave a few hints as to a few of the others I picked so see if you can guess who they are.


	3. 1 1 3

**1-1-3**

**The Capital**

I grunt slightly as some nameless man combs another knot out of my hair. That had to be the fifth already and he had just started! I seriously never knew my hair was that tangled. Normally I just wake up, wash it and run my hands through it and poof; I'm finished and ready for the day. But this guy has taken an actual comb to it and has found five- "OW!" Make that six knots in my spiky hair.

This is just a part of the beautifying process all chosen must go through. To the Capital, us district people are for the most part ugly and filthy mongrels or close to them. As such we need to be humanized and that requires professional make-over artists and fashion designers to first clean us up and then put us in respectable clothes. This way we look like real humans and not filthy cavemen.

I hate it.

Jiraiya and Tsunade both told Kin and I that we are to accept everything without complaint. It was going to happen no matter what and complaining wasn't going to change a thing. In fact, if our stylist or designers don't like our grumbling then they may make it worse on us as punishment. So I had nodded silently while Kin moaned but agreed and we were led off. We were first brought to Twelve's area and then sent into separate rooms for prep. I don't know about Kin but I honestly have yet to even see my stylist. I'm still in prep.

The man at my head scoffs as I gasp out from a slight pain as he forcefully tugs at my hair. It's as if he feels repulsed just by touching me. The look I glimpse on his face is one of such disgust that I'm tempted to rip a Rasengan straight through the man for his melodramatic attitude. But then I remember how my chakra's sealed off.

_Earlier, on the train._

"We will be arriving in the Capital shortly. Please prepare to disembark." _An automated voice speaks over the intercom, breaking me of my musings as the four of us from Twelve are eating dinner together. Jiraiya sighs but ultimately does nothing while Tsunade ignores it altogether. I glance at Kin but she's gotten up to look out the window for a first glance at the city that rules and oppresses us. After a second to finish my meal I get up and stand next to her._

"_What I wouldn't give to never arrive." Kin mutters. I nod my own agreement as the trees blurring past outside the window start to thin out._

"_I'd love to just let my clones loose to cause some havoc and mayhem. They're already going to try and kill me so what else could they do?" I turn then when Jiraiya snorts as he apparently overheard me._

"_You wouldn't be able to, even if you tried Naruto."_

"_What's that supposed to mean?"_

"_Just wait a minute and you'll find out." He replies with a shrug. It's clear that he obviously knows something we don't but isn't going to tell us until it happens so I go back to the window and notice that the trees are gone as we're now going through a tunnel. It's dark and the only light is coming from inside our train when I see it. It's only for a second and even then I think I imagine it before Kin actually points it out._

"_What was that green flash?"_

"_The activation, you'll feel its effects in just a second." Tsunade mutters as she grabs a bottle of sake and leans back in her chair. I'm about to question what she means when I'm hit by it. My entire body shakes as I feel something being put on me. It's as if a massive blanket of some heavy wool was just put over me and I fall to my knees breathing heavily for a second before it passes and I stand back up and catch my breath. I had almost blacked out for a second._

"_What the hell was that?" Jiraiya smirks at my outburst but then waves his hand in a dismissive matter._

"_Oh just the Capitals chakra dampening seal activating."_

"_What?" Kin and I chorus before glancing at the other for the unintended stereo. He chuckles before gesturing towards us._

"_Go ahead, try to use a jutsu. Hell, try to use chakra period. I'll give you half my fortune right here and now if you can."_

"_Like we'd be able to use it before we're dead anyways." Kin mutters before placing her hands in the basic ram seal and focusing. I simply hold out my hand and push chakra out of it for a Rasengan like I normally would before I notice it. There's no Rasengan. In fact, there's no chakra period. I glance over at Kin who now has a worried and slightly panicking look on her face before we both glance at Tsunade and Jiraiya. "I can't feel my chakra." I nod to her statement as it's the same for me._

"_While it's true that the Capital lost soldiers in the war, not one of them was because we managed to reach and attack the Capital. And that's the reason why. The Capital is surrounded on all sides by very powerful seals that form a barrier over the city. Inside the barrier, it's impossible to use chakra unless you happen to have a seal key, which they engrave on items they carry on their person." Jiraiya explained. "It's the same in the arena. I'm sure you've both noticed in previous trials how nobody would use jutsu until they managed to grab a small green necklace?" He asks and the two of us nod. "Well the seals are set up around the arena as well to make things more challenging and the seal key to allow you access to our chakra is inscribed on the necklace. Since the districts couldn't use jutsu when they got close to the Capital, they couldn't fight effectively, especially since the enemy wasn't carrying such limitations."_

"_I always thought it was just some rule they couldn't break." Kin mutters as I turn back to the window just in time for us to exit the tunnel and see the Capital ahead as the train rushes for it._

"_Well now you know."_

I'm jerked back to reality as the man pulls out another knot. He sighs in relief before setting the comb down and taking a step back before nodding to himself and leaving the room. I look over to the mirror to see myself now and see an actual difference. For one thing my skin is slightly lighter, apparently from them not only removing any excess hair on my person but from a very thorough wash with something I'm positive had to be some kind of bleach. My hair, while still spiky and growing out practically everywhere, looks neater. As if it had actually been styled into its spikes rather than naturally grown that way. My clothes are still in a small neat pile off to my side but I figure that getting dressed again would be pointless since my stylist would just put me into an outfit soon anyways. All I really do is grab my boxers and slip them on so I'm not actually naked.

I don't have to wait very long before the door opens again and a man walks in. He has brown hair pulled back into a spiky ponytail while over his nose is a long scar. He's wearing what actually looks plain considering the Capital's very extreme fashion sense in that it's a simple long sleeved, dark blue button up with a sleeveless green buttoned up vest over it and dark blue dress pants. He walks around me silently and looks me over while his hands are crossed behind his back.

The way he silently walks around me a few times, only occasionally nodding his head, makes me feel as if I'm some animal at a zoo. I'm tempted to shout at him before reigning that impulse in. He makes one more rotation before stopping in front of me with a small smile. "My name's Iruka Umino. Pleased to meat you Naruto."

"Yeah, nice to meet you to." I mutter, not really caring since I'll likely never care or see this guy again after the Trials start in full. Something in my voice or expression must show how apathetic towards him I am though as he sighs.

"You don't like me do you?" I raise an eyebrow and am about to say something when he cuts me off. "Or rather, you don't like the Capital and its people." I close my mouth and let him talk as he's right so far. "We always have everything while you in the districts struggle to make ends meet. And then we force twenty-four of you every year to compete just for our general amusement. It makes us seem like rather despicable and horrible people, doesn't it." I don't answer him but that's exactly how it is to most people in the districts. We all generally hate the Capital for one reason or another, the Trials and their excess lifestyle being the biggest ones. "Well, you should know that not everyone in the Capital is like that." I finally can't hold back and snort as I look away.

"So you're one of the good guys here?"

"I wouldn't say I'm one of the good guys by a long shot, considering my job is to prepare you for your death." Iruka admits. "But I think I'm better than most since I genuinely don't like these Trials. I genuinely don't like a lot of things in our government."

I'm confused now. He doesn't like the government or the Trials. Then why does he support it or have a job directly related to it? If it was me I'd have a different job and would be speaking out against the government however I can. "Why then?" I ask. "Why work for the Trials and the government if you're against them?" I ask as I turn to face him, confusion all over my face.

"Because the greatest change comes from those who are willing to accept what they don't like and then work towards fixing it." He answers. "I don't like the Trials, but it would be infinitely easier to change them from within the system than it would from outside it."

That makes sense I think before I stare at him for a while before tilting my head slightly. "Why don't I recognize you? Most of the other stylists are famous to some degree but I've never heard of or seen you before." If this guy had been trying to change the system before then he'd likely be a big name at the very least for the changes and ideas he'd be trying to implement.

"I'm new, that's why." So that's why. But that just raises and entirely different problem, inexperience. He doesn't know how to dress a winner since he's never had one.

"Great, they stick the loser district with the new guy." I mutter but then he places a hand on my shoulder.

"I asked for Twelve specifically." I stare in shock that someone would willingly choose the worst recorded district before he smiles. "I want to change the system right? Well I'll have more sway if I help produce a winner, and not just any winner, but a winner from where there supposedly are none. So I'll tell you what Naruto. You give me a chance to help you get sponsors by making you look good enough for them. Then when you win this thing, I'll do my best to work on fixing what's wrong with our world alright?" I can't help the light grin on my face as I nod my head. I already planned on winning for Sakura-chan back home. But now I can see that at the very least, there's one guy in the Capital that's alright.

* * *

"Wow, you don't look too bad." Kin calls out as she walks up. I've been dressed in a long sleeve black shirt and black pants and boots with red fastenings. Over that though I'm wearing a sleeveless red trench coat with orange flame designs going up from the bottom to about mid-back. Around my forehead, I had tied the headband my dad gave me, spiral leaf proudly etched into the metal. Iruka had been shocked when he saw that before grinning and chuckling with a comment that we'd get along just fine.

"Yeah well you aren't too bad yourself." I shoot back as I face her. She's had her long dark hair pulled back into a low and thick ponytail while around her neck was a purple and grey camouflage-patterned scarf, one end trailing behind her to her lower back. Over her chest is a grey sleeveless shirt that hugs her developing figure while over her forearms are matching arm-warmers with the same camo design as her scarf. Finally on her legs she's wearing black biker shorts with a gray short skirt over them and knee high black combat boots with purple fastenings. She gives me a grin before going into a slight spin for me, making me chuckle.

"I'm going to be totally honest here, I actually like the outfit. If I somehow make it out of here, I'm getting more of them." I just nod while we walk over to a small carriage where a man is holding up a flag with Twelve on it. These are the Trial chariots as they're called. After prep, each district is given a chariot to share and then sent out one by one for a run through the city, ending in front of the mayors mansion where he will address us and the nation with a speech about the Trails and wish us luck before we're driven to the hotel/training center the tributes stay in until the event truly starts. The horses that pull the chariots are apparently guided by a jutsu the Capital developed but it's never been fully looked into for the districts to find out.

Looking around the waiting area I see the other contestants waiting either on or by their chariots for the parade to start. A couple are in rather outrageous outfits while a few are wearing something plain. I keep my face blank in case any of them look over towards me, so that I can hide the apprehension I'm already feeling from knowing that soon I'll be in a fight to the death with all of them. I climb into the chariot and then lean against its side lazily while inspecting the other chosen as I wait for the nights activities to begin. Kin gets in to my right and stands with her hip cocked to the side to show her impatience. While neither of us are in a hurry to die, both of us were known back in Twelve for our impatience, me even more so. I've heard a couple of the older generation remark how it's a miracle if I stood still for five minutes without being ordered to. In my defense, I'm a very energetic person.

A small green light turns on with a low buzzer towards the exit to the hall so all the other chosen get into position in their chariots, boys to the left and girls to the right. After about a minute the doors at the end of the room open up and the sound of cheering comes in for us all to hear. It's only a second later that the chariot from district One begins to head out. Exactly two minutes later its followed by the one from Two. Another two minutes and Three heads out, following the same pattern until ours begins moving forward. I grab the chariots' edge for balance as I get ready for the people. I honestly don't have a plan for his moment and wasn't given any advice on the matter either. Some chosen, in previous Trials, have smiled and waved at the crowd. Others have pretty much ignored them. Neither seemed to provide any different advantages or disadvantages during the combat itself so I'm guessing that it's all actually up to each chosen.

The lights blind me for a moment before my eyes adjust and I look around at the crowd on the streets or sitting higher up on platforms built around the roads. I do my best to keep my face in a bored expression as I figure showing my hate for most of them wouldn't go over well and there's no way in hell I was going to play the happy and waving chosen. Next to me Kin looks slightly nervous and shyly waves a hand at the crowd. I'm guessing she's either truly nervous about this or is going to go with a 'weak girl' approach to hopefully deflect any unwanted attention during the games.

The horses pull the chariot at a steady pace on the pre-mapped route as I continue to look around with a bored expression while Kin meekly waves to the crowd every now and then. Every now and then we'll hear one of our names from someone whose decided to support s in the Trials or taken a liking to our looks. A few men are whistling and calling out for Kin just as I notice a few women are shouting for me. I do notice though that it was happening to me far less that Kin and take that as either the Capital women are more reserved than the men or they've realized from Sakura's stunt during selection that I'm actually taken already. Not that it would stop a few of the more obsessed anyways.

The chariot finishes its route as it pulls into a stop next to the chariot from eleven in front of a large gray mansion with a large pavilion built in front of it. Sitting at the pavilion are a few men and women that are undoubtedly either high government officials or Trial officers. From them, only one stands up and then walks forward to the microphone set up; the President, Onoki. I have a hard time making him out from his spot elevated over all of us in addition to the fact that it's a known fact Onoki is a rather short man. Not that anyone would dare mock him for it as he is the strongest man in the country.

"Welcome! Welcome, chosen participants of the Seventy-Fourth Shinobi Trials!" He calls out. "You twenty-four have been selected from you districts for this years Trials. Last year the victor was a boy from district Three. But who will win this year?" He asks as the crowd starts cheering out their predictions and hopes for the outcome. Unsurprisingly the biggest numbers called are One, Two and Four. I do hear a couple shout Twelve though so I know either Kin or I have a couple supporters already. Onoki calms the crowd by waving his hand about before beginning the traditional speech about the formation about the Trials and why they're in place before finishing with a comment of good luck to us chosen as he then sits back down. The chariots jerk around for a moment as the horses move before we are again paraded through the city to our destination. It only takes a few more minutes of dealing with the crowd before we all are brought into a large chamber that closes behind Kin and I. The two of us get off our chariot and walk over to where we see Jiraiya and Tsunade waiting, idly noticing the other chosen heading towards their own past victors, most having brought four others. Though the number increase is to be expected as Twelve does have the fewest victors.

"Not bad out there you two." Jiraiya comments, when we get close, noticing Tsunade didn't have a sake bottle on her for once. "You both look pretty good and got a few people interested. Tsunade and I'll work on what we can to try and get that interest higher tomorrow. But for now, you two can forget about the crowds. You won't be seeing them for a week anyways." He then beckons for us to follow as we head to an elevator with Tsunade picking up where he left off.

"For the next four days you'll be in public training with the other chosen from morning until night. Then on the fifth day you'll each get to spend the day one on one with us for personal private training. And finally on the sixth day will be your rating challenge with the judges to determine your score. The last day is used mostly for prep for the interview that night before you're shipped into the arena the next morning. So you better make peace with you're lives now because this is your last week that you're both guaranteed."


	4. 1 1 4

_**1-1-4**_

_**Talk of the Town**_

I let out a breath I was holding as I break the surface of the water in the training pool. It's set up for the district chosen that never learned how to swim or weren't very good, which is the latter in my case. Swimming had never been a strong point. I can float, I can move around well enough to save my life, but I can't do anything else. This isn't a swimming competition so I don't need to really be able to do fancy swims or be extremely fast either. However I may have to swim while carrying something and I can't do that yet. I'm currently trying to learn how to swim while carrying great weight while in other portions of the training area are the other chosen going through their own chosen areas. Taking a moment to catch my breath I decide to look around and see who's doing what and may become a threat later.

Kin is currently off by a woman with a book on plants learning what's poisonous and what's edible. A black haired boy is getting some instruction in how to use a sword. Another boy is learning how to set snares for a trap. Meanwhile there's a girl at the ranged weapon stand throwing knives of all shapes and sizes and she has yet to be further than less than half a centimeter from any bulls-eye at any range. Oh yeah, she's a major threat.

I grab a towel to dry off, having had enough of the water for the day before heading to the locker room set up for us to change in and put on my normal clothes. On my way out though I bump into someone on accident and we both fall to the ground. "Oh, sorry about that. I wasn't paying attention I guess." I apologize as I stand and hold out a hand.

"Don't do that in the arena then bud or you're dead." He replies as he waves off my hand and gets up on his own. He has straight and short white hair and strangely sharp and pointed teeth, almost like a shark. He grins as he jabs a thumb at himself. "Name's Suigetsu Hozuki from Four. How about you?"

"Naruto Namikaze from Twelve."

"Oh yeah, you're the guy who was grabbed by a chick on the way to the stand!" Suigetsu muses as he recognizes me. At first I was going to ask how he knew that but then I remembered how Kin and I watched recaps of the selections on the train ride to the Capital and realize that's how he knew. Apparently Sakura's actions left a bigger impact than I thought. "So is she your girlfriend or something?" He asks as I sigh.

"Girlfriend. But I don't see why you would care." He just shrugs and walks past me into the locker room.

"It doesn't really. Just thinking how she'll be sad when you die out in the arena." He comments as he closes the door behind him. I freeze before scowling and walking off. That's right, I'm not here to be friendly. These people are enemies, targets marked for death. I can't be making small talk with them.

I have to kill them soon.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

"So, get anything done today you two?" Jiraiya asks as we eat. It's dinner time and we're all eating in the dinning room of the hotel floor reserved for district Twelve. Mizuki isn't with us as he hates us and Jiraiya admits that it's what he does every year. Tsunade is still drinking but not in the excess she was on the train as she actually tries to take an interest in the chosen pair after arriving at the Capital apparently.

"I'm a little better at swimming and identifying plants. But I don't see why we have to go over what little we learned every day Jiraiya." I complain as this is the fourth day. Tomorrow we get personal training with our districts past victors in separate areas for each chosen. And we'll finally be allowed to use chakra again, so that's something to look forward to.

"It's because the more you tell us here, the less time we waste asking about it tomorrow morning." Tsunade interjects. "This way we can focus on actually training you to survive the arena." She explains as she takes a drink from her sake. As I mentioned before, she's cut back but hasn't quit. "Still gonna die since you can't heal." She mutters and both Kin and I growl as we still hear her. Every damn day it's the same shit about how we might last but can't win since we don't know medical ninjutsu. It's really pissing me off and I know Kin is feeling the same way!

"Ignoring her pessimism, she's right about the training bit." Jiraiya cuts in so we just settle for glaring at Tsunade while she ignores us. Now tomorrow, I'll be taking Naruto and Tsunade gets Kin. Then the day after is examinations. You'll each be given a key necklace so you'll be able to use your jutsu. You've just gotta make the best impression you can on the judges and get a good score. A better score means more people willing to sponsor you and more sponsors means a higher survival rate." Jiraiya explains as we eat. Examinations are on the sixth day. Each chosen is sent in one at a time in district order with boys before girls in order to show off some of their skill. Depending on how you do, they assign a different score. One is the worst and lowest while Twelve is the highest and best, pretty much the reverse of how the districts seem to do in the actual arena. Higher scores don't mean you're going to win, just as lower scores don't mean an automatic loss. Rather, they only measure the potential the judges saw in each chosen. Last years winner was a boy who only scored a five. And the year before that was a nine. "So get ready after breakfast, because we're going to run you two into the ground."

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

"So, what do you plan on doing?" Kin asks me as we sit waiting for the next chosen to be called. Currently we're down to the girl from ten, meaning only two more to go before my turn and Kin's after me as the last to showcase her skills. I shrug my shoulders while thinking over what to do.

"I don't know." I admit as I've yet to think of what to do. Since I'll have my chakra available, I could make some clones or smash some things with my jutsu but I get the feeling they've seen that already. Then again I doubt they've seen a one-man army like I can be. "How about you?" I ask, hoping to get an idea as to what my fellow Twelve chosen has planned.

"Not sure. I mean, I doubt they'll let me cast a genjutsu on them. Plus, that knife chick has already went so I don't think me making bulls-eyes with weapons is going to net me any big points." She admits and I nod. I've never seen anyone so accurate in my life. And she's just one opponent I'll have. So the two of us just wait in silence as the boy from eleven and then the girl is called. I'm next, I've only got a couple minutes so I have to think of a way to impress the judges.

"Naruto Namikaze!" The moment of truth I guess.

"Good luck." Kin calls out as I leave and I freeze for a second before nodding.

"You too." I don't know why I said that as I want her to lose and eventually die, hopefully not by my hand, but I do anyways. I guess it's because we're from the same district. If I lose then she's the one I'd root for just so that Twelve can get another winner. Plus the winners' district is showered with gifts and praise all year long and I'd like for Twelve to get some of that.

I shake the thoughts from my head as I walk into the training room again. Off on a raised platform are the judges, most ignoring me but a few paying attention. A guard walks up and hands me a necklace with a small green gem on it. I quickly slip I on and sigh in small relief at finally feeling my chakra once more. I feel liberated almost, like perhaps I could do anything, even escaped. But then I shake my head and sigh. As if. I wouldn't even make I out of this room for sure. After all I couldn't possibly be the first to ever think that. I'm sure a few have possibly tried as well. So instead I just roll my head on my shoulders before making a cross with my fingers.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" I call out and am instantly surrounded by at least fifty clones that appeared in puffs of smoke. So much smoke in fact that I've made a smokescreen that's cause a couple judges to cough and fan it away from their faces. I grin as do my clones while we wait for attention to focus back on me. It feels pretty good to hear a few gasp in shock as I look at their reactions. I turn to my clones while holding that grin and nod, sending them off to various areas. A few grab some kunai or shuriken and throw them into targets with some decent accuracy while others grab items and stack them into a pile. Meanwhile I just wait and watch with an occasional glance at the judges. While the small accuracy display doesn't do much, apparently the fact my clones can even do it in the first place is impressive in itself. It shows they're real, and this number of real flesh and blood clones is impressive. Maybe I should mention that I could make more?

"Yo boss! It's ready!" Calls out one of my clones that had been piling various items. I snap over to him and see that it's mostly a pile of the thick and heavy weights and training dummies. My other clones all grin at the pile, knowing what I'm going to do while one grabs a couple arrows from the archery area and flips them in its hands before giving me a drum roll on the ground. What can I say? I like to show off a bit.

Holding out my right hand I start off with a walk towards the pile before speeding up into a jog and then a sprint before I'm running all out at the pile. The entire time my chakra had been leaking out of my hand and spiraling into a tightly compressed sphere over it, readying an attack for my usage. The jutsu finishes just as I reach the pile and thrust it into my target.

"Rasengan!"

The result is highly satisfying as the chakra ball rips right through even the sturdiest item in the pile and reduces it all to rubble at my feet. I keep the jutsu going until my hand meets no more resistance as it carves straight through the tightly wound pile. Letting the chakra go only at that point I pull my hand back and survey my results. Everything from where my hand struck and above is now rubble on the ground while the area close to that is cracked, twisted, dented, or otherwise ruined from simply being to close to the blast area of my attack. My clones all give some joking claps before dispelling as I step back and face the judges. I'm happy to see most look shocked or are grinning at me. They dismiss me with a word so I hand the key necklace back to a guard, only stiffening slightly as my chakra is cut off again, before leaving. Apparently out of a different door than I went in as I don't see Kin. With a shrug I walk towards the elevators and return to my districts' floor. I wonder what score I'll get?

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

Kin had rushed straight to her room after finishing her examination so I couldn't even ask her what she did. Jiraiya had been writing in a notepad off to the side of the room while I was watching the Capital's news and Tsunade was drinking on the couch next to me, pretending to take an interest in how the Capital's news crew were talking with excitement about tonight's exam scores. I notice they seem to be giving unfair judgment to the districts though as they feel Kin and I will be pretty low and the boy from One will be best for a reason I don't catch since Kin's rushed entrance took my attention from their talk. "What's her problem?" Tsunade asks as Jiraiya shrugs and they turn to me.

"How should I know what's wrong with her?"

"You said on the train you were friends with her." Jiraiya points out and I shake my head.

"No, I said she was friends with my girlfriend. I've only really had passing interactions with her and can only tell you a bit like how she loves music or looks to someone named Tayuya like an older sister. I have no idea what could've made her run off like that or how to fix it. The only girl I really know is Sakura-chan and thank Kami she's not here or I'd kill myself in that arena the moment we were the final two." I tell them before turning back to the TV, seeing that they've gone to clips from an old Trial and were making comparisons to the current via one of the current chosen with a relation to the victor of the old one they're showing.

"I'll go see what's wrong I guess." Jiraiya sighs out as he sets his notepad down and stands before walking towards her room. I nod before getting up myself and stretching my arms.

"All this waiting for our scores is going to kill me." Tsunade hums in agreement.

"The waiting's the worst part about the pre-fight shit you go through. A week of training won't be truly enough to make a difference so you're pretty much going in as you are. Not only that but the exam scores could be demoralizing if you get a low one and then the interviews on the last night are mostly just insulting and annoying. The Trials themselves may be where you die but you're pretty much dead the minute your name is called and the week in luxury is just torture to say 'Look what you can't have! Ha ha district losers!' before they kill you." She muses as I nod since she's making perfect sense and I agree with her. "It'd be easier to just do the interviews when we arrive and then throw you into the arena the next morning so that you're not fretting over everything and losing focus like Kin might've. None of this matters in the arena so letting something get to you now is just signing a death warrant."

"Did… did something similar happen to you when you were here?" I ask as it sounds to me like she's coming from personal experience.

"Brat… when I was here Jiraiya had just won the previous Trials and I had been picked right next to my boyfriend, who had promised to marry me the moment both of us were too old for the damn things." It sounds like the same promise I made to Sakura I think in my head with a nod. I also realize how hard it must've been for her to win. Jiraiya would've been on his own as a mentor to both Tsunade and the boy chosen, however on the fifth day she would've been left alone since Jiraiya would be sent to train her opponent. Not only that but then in the arena itself she would've been forced to go along as long as possible before having to either kill or be killed by the man she loved who loved her back. I again thank Kami that Sakura wasn't chosen this year and I can only pray she's not selected next year either. "I spent the week before doing my best to make sure he won because I cared about him more than myself. And then in the arena we actually managed to make it to the final three when he was killed by the other remaining chosen. He managed to take the bastard with him so I won as the last remaining fighter but…" Tsunade trailed off before taking a drink of her sake while I decide to leave her some time to herself as I walk off. Just how lucky were Sakura and I that she wasn't chosen for this? That could've happened to us if she had. Actually it likely would've been worse since Sakura doesn't have any combat or medic skills. She would've been dead in an hour without help. I pretty much would've had to grab her from the beginning and spend the entire time protecting her. Well thankfully she's not here, so I don't have to protect anybody.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

"You did what?" Both Jiraiya and Tsunade shout in unison as we sit in the living area to watch the exam scores. Kin had refused to see Jiraiya earlier but later when he threatened to drag her out for dinner by force she came quietly. The meal had also been quiet but when we sat down to see our scores Jiraiya had hounded the girl for answers about earlier until she gave it up.

"I may have, slightly you see, attacked the examiners." She quietly admits as I stared at her with my jaw wide open. Attacked the examiners? How could you do that? No, better yet; WHY would you do that? They have the power over your life in the arena, why would you risk pissing them off? "I just threw one of the senbon at them before triggering my bell genjutsu on them to make them all fall over disoriented. It's not like I hurt them." Even Kin doesn't seem to believe her own defense. I shake my head while Tsunade is rubbing her head and Jiraiya is loudly groaning.

"Did you even think about your actions? What the hell possessed you to do that?" Jiraiya shouted as Kin glances at me.

"Whatever Naruto did must've impressed them because I had their full attention when I came out. I started with merely throwing senbon at the targets but they were disappointed there. I actually heard a couple mutter 'nothing like the boy' about me before they started ignoring me. It pissed me off okay? So I tied a bell to one of the senbon and whipped it into one of their chairs before hitting them with my genjutsu, making a couple fall flat on their ass while the rest clutched their heads." She explained and I growl.

"Don't try and blame me for you fucking up!" I snarl. It's not my fault I have to win for Sakura. It's not my fault she decided to do something stupid.

"Well if you weren't so damn amazing then maybe I wouldn't have had to do that shit to impress them!"

"Impress them? You fucking attacked them! You humiliated them! How the hell is that supposed to help you? Huh? Answer me that damnit!" I shoot back at her as she keeps trying to pin it on me. Kin growls before lunging at me and I'm about to fight her when Jiraiya holds me back while Kin is grabbed by Tsunade and thrown back into her seat.

"Both of you calm down now!" The woman growls out while Jiraiya and her stand between us to ensure we don't try to take the other out. I scoff and cross my arms but otherwise stay in my seat while Kin is openly glaring at the three of us. "Kin, can you honestly blame him for doing his best to impress them? He wants to go home just as bad as you do. He's not going to just roll over and let you win. Besides, think about it for a second; what if they decide to strike back at your friends or family back home for your stunt." That makes both of us freeze in shock.

"Th-they can do that?" She stutters as even I'm afraid they might now. Jiraiya sighs and explains.

"Technically no they can't. Not unless they reveal to the public what you did but they won't do that since you made a fool of them. However, if you did anything in public then not only would they make your life a living hell in the arena, they'd likely hit your loved ones to send out a message." Both of us sigh in relief that her stunt won't hurt anyone back in Twelve. "You got lucky Kin, that that just happened to be the one spot you could hit back without much punishment but you have to be careful."

"Much punishment?" She asks as Tsunade and Jiraiya take their seats again since it doesn't look like we'll attack each other again.

"They'll likely give you a score so low that nobody will sponsor you in the arena. I wouldn't be surprised if they make things a little harder on you specifically either. But those are the consequences you brought on yourself." The girl pouts and her eyes tear up but I stop myself from apologizing. It's not my fault and I will not try to make her feel its okay when she was trying to blame me for it. Our attention is drawn to the TV as they play the anthem and begin announcing the scores.

That black haired boy with a sword apparently got a nine while the girl from his district only got a six. Suigetsu's grinning face is pictured next to an eight so he's apparently a threat. The marksmen girl gets a nine as well. They run through scores and I keep track of a couple before they reach mine. Ten. I'm the first one to get double digits this year and I grin as I've currently received the highest score before they show Kin.

Twelve.

The highest score possible just went to someone who attacked them.

Wait, that can't be right. She attacked them. She humiliated them. Yet they rewarded her for that? "What the hell?" I call out, mimicking the sentiments on the others' minds I'd wager. Kin received this years highest score, and for attacking them no less.

"They have go to be masochists…" Kin mutters as even she seems to be in shock a her perfect score. Jiraiya then starts chuckling.

"Actually I'd say it's the opposite. You probably did impress them with your guts to attack them but rather than put you down and make you seem weak, they decided to do the opposite. They just claimed you're the strongest one this year. They just said you're the chick to beat this time. They painted a bright red bulls-eye on your back and are sending you into the bulls pen." He explains before going back to his laughing. Whereas she seemed shocked before at her score, now she's terrified due to the truth in Jiraiya's words. Even I see it. Had I not known what she actually did then I'd automatically assume she must have some kind of instant game-changing jutsu in her arsenal or some kind of ungodly ability that I just wouldn't be able to compete against. I'd instantly make plans to either ally with her and stab her in the back later or to ally with others and rush her through sheer numbers. A perfect score… the last perfect score chosen managed to kill nineteen of the twenty-four chosen single-handedly before winning.

"Well, besides Kin, Naruto got a ten meaning Twelve got the top two spots this year with a five from Eight being the lowest." Tsunade comments before shaking her head and getting up. "We'll probably have real sponsors this year so we just might have a chance. You can't heal but Capital medicine is nothing to write off. Well, go to bed you two. We'll be drilling you for your interviews tomorrow and then you'll be killing each other in the arena so sleep while you can."

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

I adjust my tie as I wait to head out for the interviews. I'm wearing another outfit Iruka designed in that its a simple black suit, white undershirt, and orange tie. However the ends of both my sleeves and pants are rimmed with red flame designs. When I asked him why all the fire motif's with me the man simply replied that it was through me he was going to burn down a system we both hate so why not show it off? I couldn't deny that plus it's not like I'm against the suit either so I just nodded. I left my headband back in my room this time as it wouldn't have gone over well with this suit, where I'm trying to appear classy rather than fierce.

I had spent the day in a mock-interview with Jiraiya where he asked me all kinds of questions and I answered the best I could. He said I didn't have to be truthful, I didn't have to be kind, and I didn't have to even pretend to like the Capital or their Trials. I just had to get people to like me. Just to want me to win. To be willing to spend their hard earned cash on a risk that may prove to be nothing. If being nice felt like my best way to do so then by all means, be the nice guy that gets along with everyone. If playing the aloof jerk is what I felt would work, then answer in grunts that leave the audience to figure out what I meant. I just had to pick a persona that I felt would net me the most sponsors and roll with it. The interviews were essentially a popularity contest anyways.

I'm waiting in a room with the other chosen as the announcer and host of the show warms up the crowd before calling us out. It takes a bit but then we're motioned for by a man waiting by the door and we all head out in pairs, by district order, to booths outside where we can all wait peacefully while we're called up front one by one for our turn.

Running the show is the same woman that's been running it for fifteen years, Anko Mitarashi. Anko has purple hair and amber, pupil-less eyes but other than that her appearance has changed every show. This time she's wearing a very tight form fitting tan dress that shows off her curves, which have been voted as the Capital's sexiest for five years running, and has a live purple snake wrapped around her shoulders. She's also in black high heals and has a necklace with a snake fang on that dangles between her breasts and draws attention to her cleavage.

To be honest I kind of like Anko, besides the fact that she's fucking hot I mean. She has a witty personality and tries to joke with the chosen and help them out the best she can. She'll take a small statement from someone and can twist a bigger one from it that'll get people cheering for that particular entrant. Plus she always has this smile on that just radiates a love of fun so it's hard not to take a liking to her in some manner.

She first lets the cameras pan over each of us while she talks a bit about the Trials this year and then she sits in her fluffy purple chair and is calling over her first interview, the girl from district One. Now I know I'm in for a wait as that's how it works; girl then boy, going down the line in order from One to Twelve. As the boy from Twelve, I'm dead last in the line and have to go through everyone else to finally have my turn. But that's okay because that means I can see how the audience responds to certain people and model myself after their apparent likes. Hopefully I can take last and twist it for my own advantage.

The girl from One is sent back to her spot with some applause and cheers as Anko calls up the boy from the same and it happens to be the black haired boy that was working with a sword. Now that I get a close look at him I can safely swear that he looks familiar. I just can't place from where or why he does.

"So Sasuke Uchiha, how do you like the Capital so far?"

That's why he's familiar! Sasuke Uchiha, younger brother of Itachi Uchiha, champion of the Trials close to ten years ago. Back when Itachi been in the Trials, his family had been interviewed as is traditional once you make it to the final eight. Sasuke had been interviewed extensively since he seemed to idolize his brother even before he was picked for the Trials. The boy ended up giving them more info about Itachi than the man himself did. And then when his brother won, Sasuke was quoted in an interview saying he would one day surpass Itachi's fame and skills himself.

Well it looks like he'll get his chance now.

The interviews seem to blend into each other from there as I don't seem to hear or see anything worth noticing until a word catches my attention. _Uzumaki._ I look to see that we're currently on the girl from Eight and I see that she's a red head where half her hair seems neat and trimmed while the other half seems an out of control mess. She's also wearing black rimmed glasses that she adjusts on her face while talking to Anko. Why was Uzumaki mentioned with this girl? Why would my mother's family name be mentioned with her? It's not said again until she's sent off but then I understand why. "Well good luck to you, Karin Uzumaki from Eight." She's an Uzumaki! Apparently that old story mom told to dad about her clan was true. Huh, that means she's technically family somewhere down the line. Damn. As if these Trials weren't difficult enough without putting me against family.

Anko's interviews continue until Kin is called out and the crowd seems to go wild. Apparently they're already in love with the girl who scored perfection. Anko chats with her and Kin fires back with a few quick shots poking fun at a few things or people, even me and the other chosen, before Anko draws the attention to her score.

"So, a Twelve for the girl from Twelve. Ya mind sharing how you scored so high, little miss perfect?" She teases as the snake on her shoulders seems to bounce its head up and down in an imitation of nodding. Kin places a hand on her chest and feigns a scandalized look.

"You expect a girl to give up her secrets? Shame on you Anko." The crowd roars with whistles and cheers for answers as well as some laughter for her joke while Anko grins.

"Aw, looks like you caught me. Guess I'll try to pry it out of your buddy then." She adds with a slight glance at me. I shake my head as the camera takes a quick shot at me while Kin laughs.

"Go ahead, the only one I told about that room was Tsunade and you know she's too drunk to think straight." The crowd roars with laughter at Kin's jab at the busty blond while even I'm sniggering in my seat. It's obvious Kin is enjoying the spotlight a little too much.

"Ya got that right. I wonder where all that booze goes to anyways?

"Probably her boobs."

"I always wondered how they got so big. Maybe I should try that myself. The girls always feel a little jealous when she's in town." Anko jokes while crossing her arms under her boobs and lifting slightly. By now the crowd can barely breath as their all laughing and even me and a few other chosen are openly laughing in our seats. To be honest I'm glad Kin is getting them to laugh so much and making an impression. It means less focus on me so she'll likely appear like the bigger threat in the games. Plus it gives me something to look forward to back in the hotel as Tsunade will no doubt confront Kin about this. "Well thanks for talking and I wish you luck in the Trials, Kin Tsuchi of Twelve." Anko calls out as the crowd applauds the girl. Kin smiles and walks back to her seat as I get ready to head up since I'll be called in just a second. "And finally, the number two score this round and our chosen man of Twelve, Naruto Namikaze!" Anko calls out so I stand and walk down to the comfy chair Kin had been in just a moment ago. Anko's snake flicks its tongue out in my direction to taste my scent in the air while the woman herself just grins.

"Nice to meet you Anko." I open while she smirks and pats her snake on the head.

"A fan of mine, huh blondie?" Anko retorts and I shrug with a grin. "So, how's the week been for you?" I bounce my head from side to he side before shrugging.

"Eh, the foods alright I guess." The crowd chuckles, as does Anko. "The beds nice though. Think I could send one home?"

"Maybe if you win Naruto. What do you think of the competition here? Any challenges for you?" I shake my head with a small grin.

"I'm not worried about the others. I already know what I'm going to do and how I'm going to do it."

"Oh, do tell."

"I'm going to go in, grab a key necklace then kick ass and take names all the way home." I brag, hoping to appear to the audience as a sure bet while a loud mouth that can be ignored to the other chosen.

"Well someone's confident. Not one of the others worries or interests you in the slightest?" Anko asks as I shrug.

"Well, one interests me but she doesn't have my interest because of the Trials, that's for sure."

"Oh, blondie thinks one of the girls is pretty huh? Which one?" I scowl slightly and shake my head.

"Not like that, I have a girlfriend back home. It's just I think I might have a cousin in this."

"Really? Who and why?"

"Karin Uzumaki from Eight." I admit getting a few confused murmurs from the crowd so I clarify. "My mother was an Uzumaki before marrying my dad. That would make me and her cousins to some extent right?" Anko has wide eyes before an easy smile works onto her face.

"I'd say that makes sense. But how would that work since the districts don't have much contact with each other if any. How would there be an Uzumaki in both Twelve and Eight?" And whose fault is it the districts are separate? I literally scream that in my head but don't voice it as I don't want to cause trouble.

"Well I guess a little history lesson wouldn't hurt. The Uzumaki clan used to be the top clan in district Thirteen back before the civil war. While it's not known to many, before the Capital destroyed their district, the Uzumaki actually discovered the plans for the attack before hand. Wanting to save as many of the clan as possible they scattered most of their members to other districts shortly before Thirteen was hit. My great-grandmother ended up in Twelve and had kids until down the line was my mom who had me. I'd say Karin likely has a similar family back-story and that there may be an Uzumaki descendent or two in every district." I explain to Anko and the crowd. They're silent as they take in the new knowledge about the old war while I glance and see Karin staring at me in curiosity. "To be honest, I'd like to get the chance to talk to her and get to know her a bit since we're apparently distantly related but in the arena things will be too hectic to try and one of us is guaranteed to die." Anko nods at that, an act mirrored by her snake.

"A shame, that is." Then the woman seems to switch gears as she grins. "You had me worried for a second there as it looked like you might've been cheating on this girl you claim to have back home." I scowl as Anko chuckles at my look.

"It's not some claim, you all saw her at my selection."

"Oh, you mean the pinky who latched onto you when you were walking up?" Anko lights up as most of the crowd cheers a bit for me. It seemed Sakura really did make a large impression that day. "You mind sharing a bit about her?" I lean back in my seat and close my eyes as I envision her in my mind.

"Her name's Sakura Haruno. She's easily the smartest and most beautiful girl I've ever met. And I've been thanking Kami everyday she's not here with me because we both know she can't fight or survive in the wild for her life. She would've died in an hour if I wasn't there to protect her."

"Sounds like you love her a lot."

"I would've killed myself in the arena if she was there because her life is more important to me than the whole world. I could care less if I had the entire Capital army ordering me to do stand aside so they could get her. I would stand right in their path and shout fuck you as I fought for her."

"Bold words Naruto." I nod as I finally open my eyes and see she's giving me a look to convey her respect for me. Most of the audience is cheering for me as well so I smile. "Now I'm sure a girl like that, she had o give you something before you go?" Anko insinuates with while raising her eyebrows suggestively but I shake my head.

"No, she just made me promise her something." My smile vanishes as I glance back at the other chosen. "She made me promise to come home. And I always keep my promises." My message couldn't be clearer as I see a couple others scowl a me and a couple even smirk as they get it.

I'm going to win and go home. Not you.

"Well then best of luck to you, Naruto Namikaze of Twelve."


	5. 1 1 5

_**1-1-5**_

_**The Last Night**_

"So…I'm too drunk to know anything huh girly?" Tsunade growls as we all return to our room. Jiraiya and I share a silent chuckle behind Kin as the girl bolts for her room and Tsunade chases after her.

"I REGRET NOTHING!"

"Get back here you little brat!"

"Well, at least she had some fun before going off to her doom." Jiraiya comments with a chuckle. I laugh a bit myself before facing the man as we walk in.

"You really think we're going to die Jiraiya?" I ask as the man grunts, smile leaving as we switch to tomorrows beginning event. All twenty-four of us chosen being thrown into the arena to fight each other to the death until only one is left. I'll be honest and admit I'm worried. I'd have to be insane not to be. However just because I'm worried doesn't mean I'm not going to go through everything and win. I promised Sakura I would come home to her. I have to win.

"I'll be honest here Naruto; I like your chances a lot better than hers, even with her perfect score helping her." Jiraiya shrugs as he continues. "But over all? I think it's gonna come down to you, that Sasuke kid from One and that giant from Eight. The three of you seem to be the heavy hitters this year."

The giant from Eight he's mentioning is a very tall eighteen year old boy with orange hair named Juugo. Thinking back to training just lets me know he spent a lot of time learning about plants and animals that were edible but not once can I recall him doing any kind of physical training. With how tall and ripped he appeared to be, I don't think he felt the need too.

"I guess." I reply as I nod my head. I know how strong I am and Juugo is the oldest this year and looks strongest just off appearance alone. And then Sasuke is the brother to a champion so he'd likely get more insight into what to do in the arena than anybody else in the Trials this year. "Well. I'll see you tomorrow morning Jiraiya. I'm gonna get some sleep." I call out before walking past him as he silently nods and lets me go. This is our last night of safety. Our last night of comfort. Tomorrow we fight each other. Tomorrow we all become killers.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

I sigh as I walk out into the night on the rooftop of the building all of us from districts are staying in. I just couldn't find any sleep in my bed as every time I tried my thoughts would turn to all the what ifs tomorrow was bringing. What if the arena had this? What if one of the others can do that? I was worrying myself too much and wasn't able to sleep so I decided to come and get some fresh air in the hopes that it would clear my head and let me sleep. I can't enter the arena exhausted tomorrow or all those what ifs won't matter since I won't be able to go against any of them.

Down below I can see a few parades and parties going on, likely to honor us chosen. Sad how we can't even attend parties meant for us. I'm stuck between both angered and disgusted at the thought of these parties. I'm angry because it's not fair that all this great stuff happens for us and we get locked into our prepaid hotels and can't leave unless its for training or the interviews or the eventual death match in the arena. I'm disgusted because these people are celebrating murder. We have to go out and fight for our lives and here they are cheering for us to give them a bloody show! How depraved can the world get?

I grit my teeth before the door opening grabs my attention and I spin around to see someone else walking out. Someone with red hair that I had wanted to talk to. "Hey." I call out as Karin whips her head up and looks at me in shock. I nervously wave her over with a sheepish smile. "Couldn't sleep either huh?" The girl stares at me for a second before sighing and walking over to the ledge of the rooftop like me.

"Not really." She mutters before looking down below at all the people partying in the streets. "All for us huh? How sweet of them." She mutters sarcastically as I hum in agreement. "If there's going to be a party for my death the least they could do is invite me to it."

"Right? But instead we're all locked up here like prisoners." I muttered before looking down. "I wonder if a fall from this height would kill me."

"It would but you can't." She cuts in as she steps back and looks around before picking up a small rock from the garden that's off to one side of the roof. She comes back and gestures to the rock before tossing it over the edge. There's a small distortion in the air before the rock is tossed back and she catches it in her hand. "They've got some kind of barrier over the place that would stop you. I guess some of the early chosen tried that and they got sick of it or something." Karin explains as I grab the rock from her hand to see that it's a little warm but otherwise exactly as it was when she threw it.

"Well damn. I wasn't going to jump anyways but know I know it would've been worthless to try." The girl just huffs before looking back over the Capital as I toss the rock aside. The two of us don't say anything as I'm wondering how to break the subject of our apparent relation to the other and she seems content to just stay silent. "So… um…" Luckily she brings it up herself.

"Your mother was really an Uzumaki?"

"Yeah. Her name was Kushina Uzumaki. She died when I was young in an accident." I explain in a soft voice, the nightmares of her passing flashing through my head for a second.

"It's through my dad's side with me." She quietly explains. "My dad and his mother before him and her father before that. I was told something similar to what you shared with the Capital too." I nod my head in understanding as she glances at me. "What do you know of our clan?"

"That we were the strongest in Thirteen before it was destroyed and that we had some special clan art." I truthfully tell her. Mom died before she could teach me anything more about the art and dad didn't teach me anything about it either.

"The Uzumaki weren't just the strongest in Thirteen, we were the leaders of it." Karin corrects. "And that special art was fuinjutsu. We were the greatest fuinjutsu masters in the world." I must have a surprised look on my face as she turns to face me and chuckles at my face. "You mean you didn't know that?"

"Well uh… no I didn't. To be honest I don't know anything about fuinjutsu other than a basic storage seal, but I don't have any need to either. I'm more of a fighter anyways, all that seal stuff has just confused me." Karin shakes her head and sighs.

"An Uzumaki that doesn't know any fuinjutsu… I never thought I'd see the day."

"What so you know the stuff?" I ask and she snorts.

"More than you apparently. I'll admit, it's hard and it's not my best art but I at least can do more than make storage seals! Geez, no wonder you don't use your Uzumaki name. You don't have the red hair our clan is known for and you don't know jack about our clan arts!" She mocked as I growled.

"My mom died before I could learn any of that stuff! You want to keep mocking me over it? Then fine! What the hell can you do?! If you're so much better than me you must have some great jutsu in your arsenal huh?" I shouted as she flinches back and looks down.

"Sorry… I didn't mean anything by it… It's just surprising is all." She apologizes as I cross my arms and sigh. I didn't really mean to snap either as I am interested in learning about my family heritage, even if it's a little late to do so. It's just that I didn't get to spend a lot of time with my mom before she died and poking fun at me about something she was going to teach me set me off. "I… I'm a sensor and a medic." She admits as I quirk an eyebrow.

"Sensor and medic?" I repeat as she nods. "So I'm guessing your plan is going to be hide and heal your self until it's just you and one other then strike at them when they're sleeping or whatever right?" I ask and she nods. "Well I don't have either of those skills, just a couple combat ninjutsu really. I'm gonna have to fight my way through everything." I share as she seems to think something over as she nods to herself.

"You uh… want to team up? Since we're family and all." She offers but I instantly shake my head no. "Why not?"

"Nothing against you but it's the same reason I'm not working with my district partner; I'd be too scared of us actually working together perfectly so that it came down to us. I don't want to kill her because she's good friends with my girlfriend and I'd hate to kill you since we're family." I explain as I look down. "I… I could if it came down to it… but I really don't want to." I admit as she grimaces but looks away.

"O-okay." She stutters as I sigh and shake my head and start to leave.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier alright? Good night."

"Wait!" I stop and turn around as she looks down before turning her head back up. "Watch out for Juugo in the arena!" She calls out as I frown.

"Juugo? The giant guy?" She nods her head as I shrug but nod my own understanding. "Alright then, thanks."

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

Breakfast is a subdued affair as nobody seems to be in the mood to talk. I don't say anything about my meeting last night just as nobody comments on my trip to the roof. If anybody knew about it they feel like letting me keep my secret. Kin is completely focused on her meal as if she knows it will be her last good one for who knows how long, maybe her last good meal period. I'm silent for similar reasons while Jiraiya and Tsunade finish their meals and share a look. "Alright brats… this is it." Tsunade opens with a sigh. "Look, last advice for the two of you? Find a source of water. Any will do, a lake or a stream, even rain water could work if they throw it out there. Just make sure you find a water source as soon as you can or you will die, no ifs, ands or buts about it. Without water you will die. Find a water source before you find a key necklace. Being able to use your chakra won't do you any good if you're dying of thirst."

"In addition to water, find a spot to hide when you need rest. Up in a tree, in a hidden cave, a hole in the ground; as long as you can hide yourself there it'll do. You need somewhere safe to rest and regain your energy otherwise exhaustion will kill you just as badly as thirst or hunger will." The man advises as both Kin and I nod. "Grab a necklace if you can, or snatch one off your enemies; jutsu usually mean life or death in the arena. Weaponry is also important. Kin, you use senbon or bells for your jutsu so you'll need them to fight. Naruto, you may not use them but don't ignore them either. A quick kunai or shuriken can be the game changer in a fight if you use them right." The man then sighed before shaking his head. "In the end, that's all we can give you. You just have to hope everything you know is enough to bring you out of the hellhole they throw you in."

"Thank you… for everything." Kin starts as I nod my head.

"Yeah, thanks for all this." I add. Tsunade just stares at us for a moment before sighing and getting up to walk away. Jiraiya gives us both a small smile before gesturing to the door.

"You're welcome. Now go win this thing for Twelve." He tells us before getting up himself and following Tsunade. Kin and I finish out meals before heading to the elevator and leaving. Outside we find Iruka and a tall woman waiting for us by separate limousines. Iruka motions me over so I walk to him as Kin heads to the lady I believe to be her own stylist and we each get into our own cars.

"Nervous?" Iruka asks as he gets in behind me. I nod but then look out the window to see that Kin's limo takes a turn we don't. I'm about to ask but Iruka cuts me off. "Every chosen is taken to their starting point via a different route. You'll see her again, but remember that you'll be enemies when you do." Iruka explains before reminding me that the Trials are truly about to begin.

How simple does the Capital think it is? To change views of somebody from just another person you've known for most of your life to someone you have to kill? To make the occasional friend or lover slit the throat of someone they've come to care for? How heartless are they?

While I admit, Kin and I weren't really close. But at the same time even though I know what's coming I'm having a hard time thinking of her as an enemy. And since I met Karin, it's the same with her. How am I supposed to kill these people?

An image of Sakura flashes through my head and I sigh before relaxing in the car. That's right, I made a promise. I'd be willing to bet they all did as well but it doesn't matter much to me. _I _made a promise. _I _never go back on my promises. That's why I have to win. Why I will win.

"So what's the arena like this year?" I ask to try and pass the time but he shakes his head.

"I don't know. It's different every year." He muses before glancing out the window. "I just know that there will only be thirty key necklaces this year."

"Why thirty? Aren't there only twenty four of us?" I ask as Iruka nods his head.

"True, but having more that one key necklace is useful for a couple reasons. One is that if you lose one you'll still have spares. And the other is because having multiple keys boosts your chakra for your jutsu." He explains so I nod. "The reason there's thirty is so that there's a better chance everyone will get one and be able to throw jutsu at each other. Plain taijutsu and weapon fights are interesting and all but the people love ninjutsu battles most of all."

"Can you use jutsu?"

"A couple." He replies with a shrug. Seeing as we seem to have some time before we get to my starting point I figure it wouldn't hurt to know a bit more about the man trying to take down the system from within.

"What can you do?" The man bounces his back and forth for a second as if he was debating whether to tell us or not before he speaks.

"I've got a good grasp on tactics and I know a few barrier jutsu. I may not have any heavy hitting technique but I can trap you and then get you with a kunai so I don't need them."

"Sounds like it'd be useful in the arena." He nods but then gestures out the window as the limo pulls into an underground cavern lit by bright lights every few feet.

"Probably. Anyways, we're just about there." He tells me as the limo begins to slow down. Once it stops we get out and he leads me through a door and down a hall to what's to be my room. Inside is just a table, two chairs, a small bag and a metal circle in the center of the room on the floor. He leads me over to the table before opening the bag and handing me what's inside. "Here. Every chosen is given clothes to wear into the arena that we have very little say over. You have to wear this so put it on." I groan at being forced to change but do it, securing my headband on my forehead once finish. "Not bad Naruto."

I'm now in a long sleeve black shirt with a long sleeve dark orange jacket over it. On the shoulders of the jacket are black patches that lead slightly down the sleeves. For pants I'm given black jeans and then black hiking boots with silver fastenings. "Well at least it has orange." I mutter making Iruka laugh for a second. "Now what?"

"We wait. We'll get a notice a minute before the start and that's when you'll have to step onto that metal circle." He tells me before sitting down in one of the chairs. I shrug but grab the other one as he checks a watch. "Ten minutes left." He sighs before looking o me. "You think you can do it?"

"I don't know. But I know that I _have _to do it. Sakura-chan won't expect anything less."

"You know, this girl of yours sounds really wonderful. I'd kind of like to meet her myself." He offers with a smile as I close my eyes and rest my head on my arms. Of course she's wonderful, she's perfect! Sure I'm biased since I'm in love with her but like I care about that? "You know, if you win I just might get that chance."

"Really?"

"The winner's are taken to the other districts on victory tours but the stylists get sent down to their district to first prepare them. If you win I'd get to go down and meet all your friends or family." He tells me as I shrug with my head down.

"My dad, that people say I look exactly like which is true. My best friend Kiba and his giant dog Akamaru along with his overprotective sister Hana and mother Tsume. And then Sakura-chan and her mother, who became a second mother to me when my own died, just like my dad became a second father to Sakura-chan when hers died." I tell him before raising my head and looking at the bland gray ceiling. "While my friends and their parents all wished me luck, Sakura-chan was the only one to make me promise to come home. I had at first written myself off. I was going to give it my best shot but then that would be it. If I won then I won. I wasn't going to care one way or another. But Sakura-chan… she wouldn't let me do that. She made me promise. So now I have to win. For her." Iruka is just smiling lightly at me as I talk while I sigh and shake my head.

"I guess that's for the best then. Because now they know to get ready for your return." He muses as I don't even respond. I just don't really know if I can, just that I have to. But the other district chosen aren't going to let me do it. They're going to try and stop me from winning, after all my win means their death. But I don't care because I have to keep Sakura-chan happy. Winning and keeping my promise is the only thing that will do it.

A small beeping rang out in the room so he gets up and gestures for the circle. I get out of my chair and take a deep breath to try and relax myself as I step onto the circle. The moment I do a tube of glass lowers from the ceiling as the top opens up and I can smell fresh air. I take one last glance at Iruka to see him smile and give me a mock salute before mouthing the words 'good luck'. I give him a slight grin as the circle I'm on starts to rise up through the hole to the arena above. I'm blinded by light when I first get out as I hear Anko's voice ring out above everything.

"_Alright everyone! Let the Seventy-Fourth Shinobi Trials officially begin!"_

* * *

And that's the end of the first part. Next will be part two and the first half of the actual Trials themselves. Anyways, review and favorite as I hope you enjoyed it.


	6. 1 2 1

_**1-2-1**_

_**From the Get Go**_

"_Alright everyone! Let the Seventy-Fourth Shinobi Trials officially begin!"_

I hear Anko's voice as I look around to see the arena for the first time. All twenty-four of us chosen are standing on our metal circles in one large circle formation around a large gold shuriken that marks the center and starting point of the arena. Behind me is a small lake but the rest of the area I can actually see is nothing but trees as far as the eye can see, some areas rising up to show higher ground while others seem to drop down. All around the clearing we're in are various items, the most around the gold shuriken. I know exactly what the items are. Weapons, food, camping supplies, and if you're lucky one of the key necklaces to allow yourself jutsu. All around the circle I see the items scattered around and the other chosen eyeing them.

None of us have moved yet because we haven't gotten the signal. For the first minute after Anko announces the start of the Trials we are not allowed to leave our circles or we get killed by special explosives around our start points. It's to give us all a chance to take in the arena before the bloodbath truly begins. We have to wait, but I'm fine with that. I can see a large orange backpack nearby that looks like it could have supplies. I know my speed and know I'm not fast enough to rush to the shuriken and pawn through the items for a key necklace. I'm also not stupid enough to fight my way through everyone to try. As soon as that signal goes off I'm grabbing that one backpack and running for the trees. Forget everything and everyone else, I have a plan and I'm going to stick to it.

A loud gong echoes out over the arena and the result is instant. I charge. The others charge. This is the true start to the Shinobi Trials.

I ignore the other chosen and instead run straight for the pack. I managed to grab it and lift it up when someone grabs it from behind. I spin around and punch the kid in the face as he's about to fight me for the thing before he coughs up blood and drops down, a kunai knife in the back of his skull. I take only a second to glance up and see the marksmen girl holding another kunai. I recognize her instantly because she always had her hair styled into two buns on her head. I quickly grab the backpack and raise it up to my head to block the kunai she threw at me before I turn and run back for the woods surrounding us all, stepping behind a tree as I make it to put something between me and her accurate throws.

I can hear shouts and screams behind me so I know that the fighting is still going on behind me as I run farther and farther away. As I run a slight thought runs through my head about Karin or Kin. While I hope they're alright, I'm slightly hoping they're not so that I don't have to come across them ever again. No matter how it's cut, if I see their faces again we'll be enemies. I wasn't close to either of them, but I was close enough that I don't want to fight them.

I keep running until the sounds of combat are far behind me and then slow down to a brisk walk. I'm breathing heavily at this point but I don't care. Day one for me is all about setting myself up so that I can survive the arena itself. I'll spend the rest of it planning a way to battle the other chosen. Seeing a fallen tree up ahead I stop and take a seat to catch my breath as well as go over the pack. The first thing I do is take the kunai out of it with a small tug and stab it into the tree next to me. Now at the very least I have a weapon to either throw or use in close combat.

Looking the backpack over reveals to me that it's just a large orange sack with straps to sling my arms through. Not much really but good enough for my purposes. I open it up and turn it upside down to dump out its contents for me to see. What falls out is an empty water bottle, a black blanket, a bit of rope, and a small leg pouch with six shuriken. No key necklace as I was hoping for but good enough for me. I strap the leg pouch to my right thigh and slip the kunai in with it while placing the other items back in the pack and throwing it back on. I have to find a water source now like Tsunade said before looking for a hiding place near it. Those are my top priorities now.

Just before I'm about to start my search a cannon goes off. Everyone knows what this means. A cannon is fired every time a chosen dies in the arena. Normally there's only about a second delay after they die before a cannon is fired for them but not in the opening. With all the people fighting it out and killing each other right around the Shuriken for supplies and to get into any last minute alliances, the killing in the first hour or so is too much for the cannon to keep up with. That's why they hold off on firing it until after the first battle there is finished. Now that the cannon's fired I can count how many blasts there are to count how many people died. Two, three, four… Eleven. Eleven cannon blasts means eleven died. And eleven from our original twenty-four means thirteen chosen left. So there are thirteen of us left after only the first couple hours at best.

To be honest I'm not sure how I feel about that. No doubt there's some joy, after all with eleven out of the way only twelve more people stand between me and going home to Sakura. Plus odds are those other twelve will encounter and kill each other meaning I'll have even less to actually fight myself. But still, despite that I can't help but feel sickened and disgusted with everything around me. The Capital, the other chosen, even myself to some extent. The Capital forces us to do this and then cheers and praises us for being murderers and we of the districts are forced to go along with it. Even us chosen, who should be the most against it of all, still go along with their sick Trials just for the chance to go home.

I shake the thoughts from my head and sigh before I start walking in a random direction to find a water source. Hopefully it won't take too long since I know I can only last a day at the most without the drink. "Just wait Sakura-chan." I mutter out loud to myself. "I'll be home before you know it."

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

It's only been a few hours and already I'm panting as I walk through the woods, stepping over large roots and fallen branches as I do. I need to find a water source soon. The sun will be going down soon and then I won't be able to see anything. Without sight I won't be able to find water and without water I won't be able to survive tomorrow. I crouch down on a knee and lean against a tree as I run a hand across my forehead. It's worrying when I don't pull it away covered in sweat but rather its dry and sticky. I need liquids in my body or I won't last. If only I could get some deliv…

Jiraiya! Or Tsunade even! Both of them are likely talking with people to get sponsors for me and Kin so that we can survive. With our high scores in the tests and then our great receptions at the interviews I'm willing to bet that we've got tons of people willing to waste cash on us. In fact I wouldn't really be surprised if one of them was trying to clear something to send me this very instant.

"Water…" I call out, my throat dry and my voice cracking. Maybe they just don't realize how bad my need really is so I call out for it. When nothing drops down for me I scowl but don't try again. While people at home are given rotating views of the chosen and given focus on where the most 'action' is, our mentors are given that plus constant streams of their own chosen. I know they had to have heard me but haven't sent it. Do we really not have that many sponsors? Maybe they're all running for Kin because of her Twelve score so she seems like the better choice? I don't know and to be honest I don't really care. I need a drink and don't have time to worry about who the people like more.

With a grunt I shakily stand back up to my feet and take a second to gather myself and keep walking. I need to find water soon. I take a couple stumbling steps forward before dropping back to my knees as I throw my hands out to stop myself from landing flat on my face. This has to be an image killer for me. Despite my high score all people will see is a boy who can't make it without a lousy drink so they'll be rushing to Kin if she's still alive. I clench my hands in the mud as I try to stand back up but the ground is somewhat slick from the…

Mud! Mud means wet ground and for it to be wet without rain means a nearby source of water! I whip my head up and look around as I stay silent and try to hear any and everything around me. Without a key necklace I can't take the easy route and channel chakra to my ears to better my hearing so I'm forced to go about it the old fashioned way. Very faintly I hear something a bit to my right so I crawl along the ground in that direction as the noise gets louder and soon I can tell exactly what it is as a grin breaks out on my face. Running water, likely a small river or creek. I start to crawl faster since I know my legs won't hold me up if I try to stand. I ignore how pathetic I must look, crawling to water. Once I actually have my drink I won't be so pathetic anymore. Plus the mud on my clothes should help me blend in somewhat. Soon I break into a small clearing in the trees that runs along the side of a river with flowing water. Eagerly I rush to the liquid and cup a hand in the flow before bringing it to my mouth to drink.

I take a few more greedy droughts of the water before I pull back with a sigh and a grin. "This must be why they didn't send water." I mutter as it comes to me. Why send me a bottle of the drink when I was so close to a natural source? Thinking about a bottle of water makes me remember the empty bottle in my pack. I shuffle the backpack off and open it up to pull the bottle out before unscrewing the cap and placing the bottle in the water to fill it. As I do I look around to check my surroundings.

It doesn't look like much but by looking downstream I can see the barest edge of the gold Shuriken at the arenas center, shining as it reflects the light from the falling sun. That tells me that this river must eventually lead back to the lake I saw at the starting point. However I know that it's closer to the arena's center where most of the combat will be happening so that's not the direction I want to go. Looking upstream shows the ground slanting up so after filling and pocketing my bottle I get up. That's where I'll go and set myself up. I'll follow the river to hopefully its source and then set up a hidden camp near it to survive.

A branch snapping gets my attention as I reach into my pouch and pull out a couple of the shuriken from it and spin around. A little further downstream a small deer walks out and bends down for a drink, ignoring me. I barely think about it before I whip the two shuriken in my hands into the animals' skull. The young beast collapses with a small cry as I walk over to it and see that its dead. With a sigh I pull the shuriken out of the still warm and fresh corpse and wash the blood off in the river before pocketing the metal stars and pulling the kunai out. I was probably going to worry about food later but now by a stroke of luck I have an entire deer to myself. I skin and carve the beast efficiently enough to give myself enough meat to survive off of, though I know I'll have to actually cook the raw meat before eating it. That'll mean making a fire but as of right now I don't want to start one in case anybody is nearby and attacks me over it. Wrapping the meat with a few leaves I place it in my pack before turning around and walking upstream.

Water and meat one after the other. Now if I can find a good spot for shelter upstream I'll be set.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

I grin as I look around the cave I found. It's large enough for me to stand in with only a slight hunch while hidden enough that if I drape some leaves and vines over the front I'll be able to make it unnoticeable entirely. Plus the river is visible from the entrance so I'll have my water source close by. I drop the pack down in the back of my small shelter and head out of the cave to grab some branches for a fire. In a shelter the light will be hidden and I'll only have to worry about the smoke but that shouldn't be too much of a problem so long as I keep it small. Just enough to cook my food at least. By now the sun has fallen and it's dark out. I stay near my cave so that I can find it in the shadowed darkness when a bright light fills the sky as the Capital's anthem fills the air.

Of course, how could I forget the nightly death recap? Every night the Capital anthem plays and is followed by the picture and district number of all the chosen who have died. We don't see how they died as the Capital feels it would give us an unfair advantage to see the skills of the other chosen so we just see a picture from the interviews with their district number. Back home they'll be getting the full replays of their deaths. I look up as the first number to appear is the boy from district Two followed by the girl from it. That means both from One are fine. Next is the girl from Five telling me that both pairs from Three and Four are safe as is the boy of Five. The pairs from districts Six and Seven are shown before it jumps to the girl from Nine so I know that the pair from Eight and the boy from Nine are alright. Both the pair from Ten and girl from Eleven are shown before the Capital symbol is played again meaning that's all for today. In my head I go over everyone left.

The pair from One which was Sasuke Uchiha and some girl I don't remember followed by the pair from Three. I don't remember the boy of that district but the girl is the marksmen with the bun styled hair. I should've figured she'd be alive. The pair from four is okay as well and I remember the girl had long dark hair while the boy was that Suigetsu Hozuki kid I met in the training area. The boy from Five is okay and all I can remember about him was that he was a loudmouth. Both from Eight… wasn't Karin from Eight? I think for a second before nodding to myself as I remember that she was. She was the girl of Eight and the boy was… Juugo. The giant kid she warned me about and that Jiraiya called one of the big three this year alongside me and Sasuke. I guess his size wasn't just intimidation. The boy from nine was only memorable as he's the youngest in the Trials this year at twelve, the bare minimum age allowed. I can't remember anything about the boy from Eleven at all and then the only ones left are myself and Kin from Twelve.

I go over the list of people in my head to make sure I got everyone before nodding again and going back to collecting branches and sticks for a fire to cook my food. All three of Jiraiya's picks made it past the first day which for me is good but for the other two worrying. I'd rather not have to find out which of the three of us is actually the strongest. That marksmen girl made it which is annoying since with her aim she can kill from a distance and I'm a close range fighter. Suigetsu was apparently more than just talk since he made it past day one himself. But as for Karin and Kin my feelings are mixed. As glad as I am they're alive I'm still wishing they had died so I wouldn't risk meeting them in the arena here. Karin's plan is likely exactly what she told me last night on the roof, hide with her sensor ability and heal herself with her medic skills. She'll be able to last with that combination. As for Kin, I'm not sure if she went into hiding like I have or if she tried to strike a deal with someone else because of her perfect score. Hopefully it's the former because if she chose the latter then she's liable to be killed even more violently when they find out she doesn't really have some ultimate skill that deserves a twelve.

Crouching down and slipping back into my cave I set up my stick pile and scrap a shuriken against some rocks to make sparks before breathing lightly on the embers I made to feed the fire and light it. It takes a few minutes and a couple tries but eventually I have a small flame. With a light smile I pull out the deer meat I got earlier and start to cook it up for food, idly wondering about everyone else. How many of them have key necklaces now to start using chakra and jutsu against the others? How many of them even need them to fight? I take a bite out of the first batch of cooked meat while I go over my own skills in my head.

I'm strong but definitely nowhere near the strongest. I know I could handle myself in a fist fight without chakra, especially with a kunai in hand to help me but that can only take me so far. What I need is access to my chakra so that I can enhance my attacks with a little chakra boosting. And then having clones to swarm my opponents while covering my blind spots would be great and being able to use the Rasengan would clinch it and make me the biggest threat in close combat from my point of view. I've yet to meet a defense or opposing close range jutsu that beats the Rasengan. Rasengan beats all up close, period.

I put out the fire and rewrap the extra meat in leaves before slipping it into my pack as I pull out the blanket to keep warm during the night. With a small bit of shuffling so that I'm lying with my head facing the entrance of the cave to see anybody that may come I wrap myself up, leaving enough room for me to grab my shuriken or kunai and throw them should I need to. I'm glad my blanket is black and that I'm covering my orange backpack with it because that means at night the darkness of the cave will hide me better since I'll blend in. Of course my bright blond hair could ruin that so I adjust the blanket to pull some of it up over my head in a make-shift hood. That'll help solve that problem. Now hopefully Sakura had only been joking whenever she would mention my 'bright and glowing' blue eyes.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

A loud snap startles me awake. I apparently fell asleep while watching for anyone that may come by my cave and attack. Quietly I pull out my kunai and place it in my left as I grab two shuriken for my right. I move around slightly so that I could toss the blanket off and attack if I need to as I focus my eyes on the cave entrance and the area outside it. I don't see anything when I hear a snap again and glance up at my ceiling. That snap came from above my little cave! I stay silent before I notice shadows dancing in front of my cave entrance and some light as well. A fire! Whoever's above my cave just lit a fire out in the open in the middle of the night! Are they trying to get killed? I wonder before I hear some more snaps before a boy is begging for his life. There's a loud thump and the sound of metal digging into flesh before there's some cheering.

"Another one down!"

"Twelve down, eleven to go!"

"Let's get moving. I want to find more to kill!"

I stay silent as the speakers begin to rush away, jumping down in front of my cave and running along without looking back. Out of the group I notice the marksmen girl from Three carrying what looks like seven or eight various weapons pouches all strapped to her legs and waist. I also see Suigetsu with a massive sword strapped to his back along with two boys I assume are the boys from Three and Five. One is wearing green with a bowl cut while the other has spiky black hair and a sadistic smirk on his face. I relax slightly when none of them look back before stiffening when I hear another voice.

"Hey! Why hasn't the cannon fired yet?"

"Must not be dead yet." Comes the answer before I hear a slight whimper from above me and then nothing as a cannon fires.

"Next time kill them." One more drops down in front of my cave and I have to stop myself from gasping in shock as I instantly recognize who it is that just killed the guy above me.

It's Kin.

The girl is walking confidently towards the others with a weapon pouch at her waist and twirling a senbon needle in her hand. Apparently she joined up with others to stay alive as I had hoped she didn't. "So, who do we look for next?" She asks as she joins the group on the barest edge of my vision from the cave I'm hiding in.

"Well Kin babe, I say we look for the Uchiha boy and slit his throat." The spiky haired boy calls out as she growls.

"Call me babe again Zaku and alliance or not you'll get a needle in your eyes to match the one I'll shove down your dick." Kin threatens as the marksmen girl whistles.

"Ooh, so nasty Kin. I like it."

"I try Tenten."

"Yosh, you seem to be most brutal Kin!"

"Shut it Lee. You're too loud." The now identified Tenten orders as she slaps the green clad chosen on the back of the head. Suigetsu just grins as he plays with the handle to the sword on his back.

"Well I vote for that little brat. What was his name again? Ko-something?"

"Actually I know who I want to go after." Kin offers as she puts away the senbon she had been playing with. "I want to take out Naruto." She offers as I bite the inside of my cheek to avoid shouting. Me? Why the hell does she want to kill me?! "No offense to Sakura back home but the bastard pissed me off before our scores were announced and I want to make him pay for it. Lover boy isn't going to be keeping that little homecoming promise of his."

"Ha!" Suigetsu barks while shaking his head. "Well then let's get back to looking. We'll never find shit by just standing around." The others agree with him as they nod and start running off. I wait until the sound of their footsteps have been silent for a few minutes before I crawl out of my cave and stand up with a scowl.

"You want to kill me all because of that Kin? Even after I said I wouldn't kill you because you're friends with Sakura-chan?" I mutter as I pull out my blanket and pack. I wrap the blanket up and put it back in the pack before closing it and shouldering it. That was too close for comfort and I want to find a new hiding place. "Well fine. Just wait until they find out you didn't earn that twelve you fucking bitch." I growl to myself before remembering something.

Everything on the arena is being shown to people everywhere. No doubt someone just heard me claim she didn't earn her score which would let them know that I do actually know what she did to get it when she had claimed at the interviews that I didn't. I was never asked so they didn't know and to be honest before this I probably wouldn't have told anyways. But now? I smirk as a quick payback comes to mind.

"All you could do was attack the examiners and make them fall over with a genjutsu. Then they gave you a high score to make you a target as payback. You shouldn't have even gotten a five little bitch. I'm the one who really earned the highest score." I declare out loud before running further upstream away from Kin's group. With what I just said everyone watching will know that she's really weak and that it was out of spite she was given a high score. That'll cut down on any supporters she may have had while raising my own since I actually earned my high score, which was the second of this years' Trials. No doubt she had to lose her popularity now. You want to target me for your own mistakes Kin? Then fine, I'll just expose you for the weakling you really are. And if I come across you in the arena I'll tell your new friends so that they know what a fake you are.

I keep running for a while before a fireball lands right in front of me and explodes, knocking me back onto the ground before I look up and see another one rushing at me. I roll to my feet out of the way and start running before I hear a small hissing noise followed by another fireball flying at me. Without realizing it I had stumbled into one of the trap areas of the arena, spots with Capital made weapons that attack chosen on command. I jump to the side to avoid another fireball as I keep running. One thing about the trap areas is that they are restricted to their areas. If I can keep moving then I can get out of range and then fall into safety. The fireballs keep coming and personally I think that the trap seems a little harsh when I realize something.

Admitting Kin was weak by revealing what she did wasn't all I had done with my declaration. I also humiliated the examiners by revealing what happened to them and told everyone how petty they were to try and sabotage Kin as payback for her stunt. That's why this fire trap seems to be harsh. Now they want payback on me for exposing their humiliation from Kin.

"Shit." I grunt as I dodge another fireball. Me and my big mouth. I stumble over a branch I didn't notice which surprisingly and thankfully makes me drop as a fireball flies through where my head had just been. One of the straps on my pack snaps from the fall and I grunt before rushing to my feet and moving. I'm coming up on a small cliff that drops down into a larger river, no doubt one that also leads to the lake. From the roaring sounds of rushing water, I'd be willing to bet this river is huge and the lakes main source. I slip on some mud dislodging my pack as I barley catch the remaining strap to keep a hold of it when I feel a searing pain on my back as a fireball hits it and explodes. I cry out as it blasts me over the edge of the cliff and I drop to the rapids below. Despite the pain I clutch my backpack close to me and try to keep my eyes open as I fall to the water. My last thought before impact is about how stupid I had just been and how I might've just ruined my shot at reuniting with Sakura.

* * *

**Authors' Note**

I've decided that during the chapters of an actual Trials I will post a contestant list at the end of every chapter listing who's in, what chapter they died in if they do and if it's been confirmed in the story then who killed them as well. Obviously the 'Unknown' boys and girls represent the no-names that were killed in the slaughter at the opening of the event, save for the one from Eleven that Kin killed right above Naruto's little cave. I'll update this every chapter with every reveal or kill that happens. Like for instance, next chapter another one will die while another will be revealed. So anyways, review and favorite please!

**Contestant List**

**District One - **Sasuke Uchiha (Alive) / Unknown Girl (Alive)

**District Two **- Unknown Boy (Dead as of 1-2-1) / Unknown Girl (Dead as of 1-2-1)

**District Three **- Lee (Alive) / Tenten (Alive)

**District Four **- Suigetsu Hozuki (Alive) / Unknown Girl (Alive)

**District Five **- Zaku Abumi (Alive) / Unknown Girl (Dead as of 1-2-1)

**District Six **- Unknown Boy (Dead as of 1-2-1) / Unknown Girl (Dead as of 1-2-1)

**District Seven **-Unknown Boy (Dead as of 1-2-1) / Unknown Girl (Dead as of 1-2-1)

**District Eight **- Juugo (Alive) / Karin (Alive)

**District Nine **- Unknown Boy (Alive) / Unknown Girl (Dead as of 1-2-1)

**District Ten **- Unknown Boy (Dead as of 1-2-1) / Unknown Girl (Dead as of 1-2-1)

**District Eleven **- Unknown Boy (Dead as of 1-2-1) {Killed by Kin Tsuchi} / Unknown Girl (Dead as of 1-2-1)

**District Twelve** - Naruto Namikaze (Alive) / Kin Tsuchi (Alive)


	7. 1 2 2

_**1-2-2**_

_**Allies Among the Leaves**_

My back hurts from the burn on it as I lie on my stomach on top of my blanket. Next to me is a fire while a kid eats some of the deer meat from my pack. I groan as a small breeze blows by and the cool air against my hurting back stings. Me and the kid are in the center of a clearing near the river with trees surrounding us but hardly anything against our backs but the river. "Remind me again why you helped me kid?" I ask as the boy swallows the meat, MY meat, and grins.

"Cause your headband told me I can trust you." He answers before scowling. "And I told you, I'm not kid. I'm Konohamaru!" He shouts as I look him over. Konohamaru is the boy from Nine and the youngest in the Trials this year. He has short and spiky brown hair while he's wearing a simple blue cloth scarf and a yellow and blue jacket with some blue jeans and boots. "And if I hadn't saved you then you would've drowned last night!" He reminds me as I think back to what caused out meeting.

_Last Night._

"_Shit." I grunted as I dodged a fireball. I had run into one of the arena's preset trap areas where the Capital would set weapons to spring up and attack the chosen somehow, in this case with a barrage of exploding balls of flame. I had stumbled over a branch to make me accidentally dodge another fireball by falling o the ground. Sadly the fall snapped one of the straps on my pack. After getting back up I had kept running, being leaded towards a cliff that led to a drop straight into a large river. I had just slipped on some mud as the pack came off my back. I had barely managed to catch it when a fireball collided with my back and exploded, sending me over the edge and down to the river below with a huge burn on my back as I clutched my pack to hopefully keep it should I survive the fall._

_Colliding with the water had been painful. Especially with a new and fresh burn blazing on my back. It had only been by the barest of margins I didn't pass out right there. I did however, stupidly cry out in pain under water, causing said water to rush into my lungs. I did my best to kick to the surface as the river currents kept pulling me downstream. I managed to break up for air as I coughed up my lungs before falling back under. I struggled and managed to get back up and gasp out a short breath before falling under again. Up and down, above and below, over and over. Because of the burn on my back as well as the water still n my lungs I could barely think straight. The last thing I had noticed was something yellow jumping into the river after me before I blacked out._

"Well thanks kid, but I still don't trust you." I mutter gasping in pain from a spasm that runs through my burn. "And what do you mean my headband told you that you could trust me?" I ask as the boy shrugs and takes another bite of the deer meat. "And stop eating my food!"

"Oi! I saved you so I can take a reward if I want. I could've just grabbed your pack and thrown you back in if I wanted to." Inwardly I admit he's right and relent. Outwardly I keep a glare on him because it's my stuff to begin with and I don't care if he saved me or not. It's still mine. "And I mean the spiral leaf on the headband. My gramps once told me that people with that could be trusted." He tells me as I scoff.

"Kid, I'm not wearing this because of the leaf on it or anything of the sort. To me, it's just a headband. I'm wearing this because the metal plate could protect my head. Nothing more and nothing less."

"Yeah, it's done a great job so far."

""…Touché." I admit as he grins before setting my pack down next to me. With a groan I do my best to sit up as my back flares up in pain. I grit my teeth and ignore it as I reach into my pack for some of the meat and take a bite myself. Also run a check to see if there's anything added or taken away. Since I'm sitting on my blanket and holding the pack those are obviously fine. Only a little bit of the meat is left, no doubt from Konohamaru having some for himself. I notice the rope is gone before I check my pouch and find that the only thing left is my kunai. "Hey, what happened to my rope and shuriken?"

"I dunno, guess they fell out in the river." Konohamaru offers as I sigh and run a hand through my hair.

"Okay, Konohamaru right?" He nods so I continue. "Look, I'm grateful to you saving me and all but personally, I think you were stupid to do that. I would not have even looked back at you had I seen you drowning in the river." I admit as he grimaces but nods. "Also, what's to stop me from killing you right now?" I ask and he takes a step back but hold up a hand.

"Two things actually. One is your back." He points out as if on cue it spasms and I twitch in pain. He grins before reaching into his jacket and pulling out a black necklace with a green gem on it. "And two I have jutsu and you don't." I lunge for the necklace the second I see it as he jumps back and starts sticking to the side of a nearby tree with chakra as I sit back up from my failed theft attempt. "I'm not as stupid as you think ya know." I growl but then sigh.

"What do you want Konohamaru? You're obviously not going to take advantage of the multiple opportunities you had to kill me so what do you want?" I ask as he drops back to the ground but stays a couple feet away so that I can't snatch the key necklace off him.

"I want an ally." He admits. "I know I'm not the best or anything so I want someone to help me get through to the final few people before we split and turn on each other. Even with this necklace I'm willing to bet you could take me if you're back was fine." He admits as I shrug but then look down.

"An alliance huh?" I mutter as I think it over. On one hand I don't want any alliances because they'll just make it harder to kill them later since I'll get to know them, maybe become friends with them. On the other though, I'm going to need help since with my back I'm liable to lose any fight I may get into. Right now I'm wishing I took Karin up on her offer from that night since with her medical jutsu my back could be fixed right up in a couple minutes. With a sigh I nod. "Fine, we'll work together for now." I relent as he grins but doesn't get any closer.

"Okay, but I want your word that you won't try to take my necklace or ditch me. I remember from the interviews you said you always keep your promises so I want you to promise you won't go back on this." I roll my eyes since I'm not in any position to really refuse such an alliance but nod my head and give him what he wants.

"I promise, until you break this alliance off I won't turn against you or try to steal your key necklace. Happy?" I mutter as he walks over and sits down across from me.

"Yep. So what can you do? I only know a couple fire and earth jutsu that my gramps taught me. I'm also pretty fast and good at hiding." He offers as I shrug as best I can with my back still hurting.

"Without a necklace I'm just a decent fist fighter and I'm kind of strong. With a necklace though I know a couple jutsu that make me a close range monster." I tell him without giving away exactly what I can do. I want to keep some things secret so that I'll have a trump when we eventually break apart. The younger boy nods before getting back up.

"Okay then. So we need to find you a key necklace and something for your back and then we can start looking for other people and take them out." He offers as I shake my head.

"Yes to the first, yes to the second, but no to the third. I say let the others find and kill each other while we only fight the people that find us. That way we're fresh instead of exhausted when it comes down to the last few. Plus we'll be less likely to be hurt that way." I counter as Konohamaru thinks about it and nods.

"Okay, that sounds better." He admits before snapping his fingers. "Oh hey, I've been meaning to ask what can that girl from your district do? She got a twelve so she's gotta have some kind of super ability right? You should know what it is right?" I shake my head as he looks at me in disbelief. "You mean you don't know?"

"No, I mean she doesn't have a really good ability or jutsu. She's a decent marksmen with senbon and knows some sound based genjutsu, her own words. She got that twelve by attacking the examiners and they gave her a high score out of spite hoping to make her a target in the arena." I admit as he gapes at me.

"Attacked them? She's that stupid? I'd fall down and worship them before I attacked them!" I chuckled as it's essentially the same in my book. "Well do you know what anybody else can do? All I know is that girl from Three can hit anything with a throwing weapon and that boy from her district is a really strong taijutsu specialist." He admits as I nod my head in understanding.

"Tenten and Lee." I tell him before I decide to explain last night before the fireball incident. "Last night I was hiding in a cave to get some sleep when a group ran by. The group was the girl from Three named Tenten, her district partner named Lee, my district partner Kin, the boy from Four named Suigetsu and the boy from Five named Zaku. Tenten was covered in weapons pouches so I doubt she'll run out of ammo anytime soon in a fight while Suigetsu had this huge sword on his back. They talked a bit about who to target before running off to find some more people." I explain as he nods. Inwardly I debate the pros and cons to telling him about Karin before deciding against it. She's not a threat yet and I really don't want to sell out my family, no matter how distant that relation happens to be. "I don't know anyone else though." lie before grunting as I stand up. "We should get moving though. People could come by any minute." I tell him as I slowly wrap the blanket up and slip it into the backpack. I'm about to put it on when he grabs it from me and slings it over his own back. "What're you doing?"

"Do you really want this thing banging against your back?" He deadpans as I blink, having not realized that. With a sigh I gesture for him to go ahead and he grins and starts walking as I follow a few steps behind him with on hand fingering the kunai in my pouch. It would be so easy to kill him right now as his back is turned. However he was right when he said I'd need help due to my back. Plus he made me promise so I'm not going to start going back on my word now. "So which do you think would be easier to get? A necklace or stuff for your back."

"My back for sure. If that pervert or drunk would just send some kind of burn ointment instead of sitting around then I'd have it already." I growl out loud as I look up, mentioning my mentors.

"You mean that old guy that writes those dirty books and the lady with the big boobs right?" Konohamaru asks as I snort and start laughing. "Gramps reads those books a lot and I snuck a peak at one once so I know what they are. One of the characters is a lot like the lady mentor from your district." He admits as I laugh harder knowing Tsunade is likely beating the shit out of Jiraiya for basing a character off her in his porn. She's expressed her hate for those books many times already so it wouldn't be surprising. "Why do you think they can send you something? You think you have a lot of sponsors or something?"

"I'd expect to." I let out before pausing to get my laughs under control and taking a deep breath to calm myself. I need that laugh actually. "I mean, Kin's fake twelve aside, I scored a ten which was the next highest score. Plus a lot of people apparently like me because I'm the 'lover boy' from Twelve since I'm fighting to go back to my girlfriend back home. That's drama the Capital people seemed to have been going nuts over. I think it's safe to say I have sponsors. Plus I know my dad and my friends back home, especially Sakura-chan, are scrounging up every penny they can to try and send me something. If I don't have any sponsors then I'd be surprised." I admit as he looks down for a second.

"I guess." He mutters. I can tell from his voice he seems sad about something but it's not my business so I don't comment on it. "So what do we do now?" He asks and I shrug behind him.

"I guess we should find some shelter, maybe do a bit of hunting for some more food because my deer meat isn't going to last us very long." I answer as he nods. The only problem is going to be finding someplace to rest that's large enough for two people yet hidden enough that others won't find us. I think about going back to the cave I was in when Kin's group ran past but decide against it because that area was barely big enough for me. Trying to fit two people in would draw attention to it. Plus I'm not entirely sure how to get back to it from where I currently am with Konohamaru. Something has been bugging me though so I decide to ask him about it. "Hey Konohamaru, how'd you get that key necklace?" I ask as he glances back at me for a second.

"When everything sounded for the start I ran to the Shuriken and grabbed one. There were six of them just sitting on a able behind the thing so I took one, spun around and launched a fireball and then ran for it." He admits as I let out a whistle.

"Impressive. But why didn't you grab the others?" I ask as he shudders and shakes his head.

"Because the second I put mine on that Uchiha kid from One came down with a sword and nearly chopped me in half. I fell back as he grabbed three of them before running into the forest himself." He explains as I do a quick check in my head. There were apparently six out in the open at the very beginning. Konohamaru grabbed one while Sasuke grabbed three. That left two on that table for others. Iruka also told me that thirty were in the arena this year meaning there were twenty-four scattered and hidden in the supplies around the starting area.

"Hey Konohamaru… What do you think happened to the supplies back at the Shuriken?" I ask as he stops and turns back to facing me.

"No."

"What?"

"We're not charging the Shuriken for stuff!" He shouts as I shake my head.

"I wasn't suggesting that." I tell him, mentally adding a 'yet' to my statement. "I just want to know what happened to it all before we try making any plans concerning the stuff." He stares at me for a few seconds before spinning around and walking again as I still follow.

"Well I kept an eye on it for a couple hours after the fighting ended." He admits before going into an explanation. "Like I said, I ran into the forest to hide. The Uchiha kid had a sword but I saw him grab a small bag before he ran into the forest too. Obviously you grabbed a pack when you ran for it." He lists off as he shakes the pack on his back I had grabbed. "A few others ran for it as well but most stayed and fought it out. Then a group formed with the people you mentioned and they ran off to find others. They lumped all the supplies together after going through them for stuff and left the giant to watch over it all."

"Juugo." I supply as inwardly I'm cursing. Jiraiya called him one of the big three with myself and Sasuke plus Karin had warned me about him in our small talk as well. With him watching over everything then I doubt me and Konohamaru would be able to get at any of the supplies to grab anything for ourselves. "Well there goes any of those ideas." I mutter as he nods.

"Why do you think I said no?"

"Touché."

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

"Can you climb trees?" Konohamaru asks as we stand at the base of a rather large tree. I groan but nod my head as he starts walking up the side with chakra. I glance over m shoulder to see he bare edge of some burnt clothing where my burn is. We've been walking for hours, occasionally tossing my kunai at an animal we'd cross but only a couple times did we actually kill the target creature, a couple small rabbits. My back hadn't given me any pain for a while so I think it'll be okay but then again I know it hadn't given me any trouble since I wasn't doing anything stressful with it. It still hurt if I put pressure on it or stretched my arms in certain directions. With a sigh of resignation I crouch and then jump as high as I can and grab a low hanging branch and pull myself up. As expected, my back began to hurt, though it didn't hurt as much as I expected. With a slight grin at that revelation I start to climb as I hop up from branch to branch before stopping at a large one a the mid point up the tree with Konohamaru coming down from the branch above me he had been waiting on.

"Okay…" I gasp out, panting not from the exertion but the pain my back was going through. It wasn't enough to stop me from climbing but it was enough to knock me out of breath from what I'd normally consider a short climb. "Could you tell me how my back looks real quick? This is getting ridiculous. I need to get something for it before it gets infected or something." I ask as he swings around behind me and I hear him make a disgusted noise.

"Not good. I'm no expert but it's really red and pale and sickly and stuff. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing but no offense it's really ugly." He tells me as I roll my eyes. Well that was helpful.

"It's an injury, it's supposed to be ugly." I quip before sitting up and groaning. "Great, I just realized something." I hear him grunt questioningly so I explain. "How am I supposed to sleep up here? With my back I can't lie against the tree or on my back so I have to lay on my front. But that leaves my bare back exposed where I'll freeze because it's not covered." Konohamaru swings back in front of me and grimaces.

"Right, didn't think about that." He apologizes before looking around and widening his eyes as he grabs my arm and tugs me forward. I hear a dull thud of metal hitting wood as he points to the shuriken embedded in a tree nearby before pointing in the other direction as we see Tenten grinning as the other four are running down to our tree from the distance. "Move!" My ally shouts as I waste no time grabbing my kunai and balancing myself on the branch and leaping to another, using my arms to catch it and swing to a lower one. With my back and current lack of chakra there is no way I'm going to be able to fight up in the trees so I need to get to the ground. However that leaves me at the mercy of the other four and I don't think I could take them all without chakra. Suddenly an idea comes to me and I grit my teeth before dropping to the ground.

"Quick! Give me the necklace! I'll get us out of this!" I shout up to Konohamaru who had dropped to a branch above me. The boy looks at the four charging as Tenten throws a couple more shuriken at me that I bat aside with the kunai in my hand.

"Just let me do this first!" He shouts back while running through hand-signs. "Katon: Karyu Endan no Jutsu!" He calls out as he raises a hand to his lips and breaths out a massive fire dragon that flies down towards the four charging me. I gasp in shock at the power and heat behind the jutsu while the dragon crashes right in front of Suigetsu, the boy skidding to a stop to avoid being burnt. He was at the head of the charge so the other three run around it while Konohamaru drops down and pulls off the necklace and hands I over. "I want that back after this!" I nod quickly as I place it over my head. I feel my chakra return to me as if something had just been lifted from my shoulders before I make a cross with my hands.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" There's a large blast of smoke before Konohamaru and I are surrounded by multiple copies of me, all scowling and holding their kunai copies at the ready to fight. "Attack!" I order as my clones rush in to fight. While they do I grab Konohamaru and pick him up before pushing chakra to my legs and running as fast as I can away from the battle behind us. He's keeping an eye over my shoulder as I occasionally wince as I get the memories of my clones fighting the group. Tenten had begun raining down weaponry from her spot in the distance while Suigetsu began to hack his way through everything with his large sword. Lee, true to the taijutsu specialist Konohamaru told me he was, was tearing through my clones with nothing more than punches and kicks. Only Kin and Zaku had actually dropped back from the fight.

With my chakra available I'm able to run farther at a faster speed than I otherwise would and don't stop until there is absolutely no chance of them catching up without chakra of their own. Eventually I stop and set Konohamaru down while bending over and panting. He reaches to take the necklace back but I stop him. "I said I want it back after it's over." He repeats as I nod.

"I know, but I still have a few clones fighting and if you take the necklace away they'll all vanish instantly. Let my clones fight them off until they're all gone. Then I'll give it back, okay?" I explain as the boy nods.

"Okay." He then grins and crosses his arms over his chest. "I've never seen that man clones before though! It was really cool." I let out a grin of my own as I straighten myself and look down on the shorter boy.

"Well if my back wasn't screwed up then I would've actually fought myself instead of making the clones and running away." I admit before looking back. "When a clone dispels, I get its memories of what happened to it and I can tell you right now, Tenten and Lee are a deadly combination while Suigetsu is complaining that without chakra fighting me is annoying. Kin and Zaku though are strangely staying out of the fight. I know Kin is doing it likely because she's really weak and doesn't want to expose herself but I don't know why Zaku is doing it." I tell him as he nods before jumping up and down.

"Oh! I just had the best idea! Do you're clones get the memories too?" He asks as I raise a brow but nod. "Then make a clone right now and tell it to let the group know how Kin is really weak and hiding it! Then get rid of it so the other clones get the order and tell the group. That'll make them turn on her and reduce the competition!" He shouts as I blink before grinning and making a single clone.

"Now why didn't I think of that?" I comment before punching my clones' back to dispel it. I know the other clones get the memory because pretty soon I'm grinning even more from what I'm getting back of the clones fighting them. I also get the memory of one clone sneaking off to watch the events from a distance. I wait until all my clones except that one vanish before turning back to Konohamaru. "Okay, all but one clone have vanished and that one is going to dispel itself after they have their little group fight to let me know what happened. I'll hand the necklace back right after that. For now though, let's get a move on and find somewhere to rest. It's starting to get dark out."

"Sure, and this time we won't go up a tree." He replies as we start to walk around, looking for something to sue as shelter with my back.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

"What the hell was he talking about?" Tenten shouts as she's holding out a kunai and Suigetsu has Kin pinned to a tree with his sword an inch from her neck. I'm watching from about fifty feet away in a bush, gently biting my cheek just hard enough to keep myself from either gasping in pain from the leaves scraping my back as well as to stop myself from laughing at the predicament Kin is caught I now that I revealed her secret.

"It is most unyouthful to lie Kin. Especially about something such as this." Lee calmly stated as he frown at the girl Zaku was still grinning the entire time as he stood a few feet away.

"Well Kin babe, got an answer for us?" The girl is shaking as she stares at the sword point in front of her in obvious fear.

"Alright I admit it! I got that Twelve because I threw a senbon at the examiners and hit them with a genjutsu to make them all fall over. Naruto got the real highest score with his ten!" She shouts as Tenten pockets her kunai and Suigetsu grinned.

"So what can you really do girl?"

"I'm good with senbon and genjutsu!" She answers instantly. Tenten scoffs and waves her off dismissively.

"I'm better with whatever weapon you could ever be and genjutsu is weak. You're a waste of space. Plain and simple." She quips before walking off. "I don't care what happens to you, I'm going to go find someone to kill. Maybe a real challenge like that Naruto apparently should be." Lee takes a second to stare at Kin before following his district partner without a word. Zaku scoffs as they leave before looking to Suigetsu who still had Kin pinned.

"Ya know, she said she doesn't care what happens to her." He started before waving at Kin. "And despite being a liar the bitch is a damn good looking babe."

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Suigetsu cuts in as he brings his sword down to rest against the girls chest while it seems to dawn on her what they want as she pales and starts shaking her head.

"Please no… anything but that…" She whimpers while Zaku and Suigetsu share identical grins.

"Sorry, lying little whores don't get what they want." Zaku growls as Suigetsu slaps her down and stabs his sword in the ground. By this point I've seen enough and jump out of the bush with my kunai at the ready. I drive it into the back of Zaku's head as he collapses to the ground with me following him down while Suigetsu curses and grabs his sword again.

"What the fuck!" He shouts while I pull my kunai from Zaku's head and get up as a cannon fires for the boy's death.

"I may not like the little bitch because she tried to kill me with you guys but there's no way in hell I'm letting you rape her. No woman should ever have to go through that!" I shout as Suigetsu growls.

"Fuck off Blondie! For all I know I'm gonna die in these damn woods. I think I'm entitled to a little fun before that happens." He retorts before charging me.

"Kin run!" I shout before I use my kunai to block. I hear her scrambling to her feet behind me and running before I feel something pierce my leg and everything goes dark.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

I stumble for a second before sighing and pulling off the necklace. "Here." I comment to get Konohamaru's attention. He turns to me so I toss the special gem to him as he grins and instantly replaces it around his neck.

"So what happened to her? We heard a cannon so is she dead?" I shake my head and scowl as we keep walking, now walking along the river downstream as the sun is setting.

"Tenten and Lee just left her without doing anything but Zaku and Suigetsu were going to rape her before killing her. I may not like her after the shit she pulled but I draw the line at rape. My clone jumped in and killed Zaku before telling her to run and engaging Suigetsu. However something stabbed my clone in the leg making it dispel so I don't know what happened after that." We look up towards the sky for a second as we listen for a cannon but it doesn't fire. "We'll find out tonight though when they show the death count." I mutter so he nods and we keep walking. We'll find out everything tonight and make plans for tomorrow. Hopefully everything turns out okay.

**Translation notes**

Katon: Karyu Endan no Jutsu (Fire Release: Dragon Flame Projectile Technique)- A fire ninjutsu that allows the user to breath out a dragon of flame that flies out towards a target and then explodes with a large amount of force. The amount of chakra pushed into the jutsu affects how large the dragon is, how hot the flame will be, and how large of an explosion it will cause. A small usage of this jutsu will be enough to burn and destroy a tree while a large one would destroy a building. Konohamaru learned the jutsu from his grandfather and it's now his go-to jutsu for long range assaults though he can't use its full power very often because as a child his chakra pools aren't large enough for that.

**Contestant List**

**District One - **Sasuke Uchiha (Alive) / Unknown Girl (Alive)

**District Two **- Unknown Boy (Dead as of 1-2-1) / Unknown Girl (Dead as of 1-2-1)

**District Three **- Lee (Alive) / Tenten (Alive)

**District Four **- Suigetsu Hozuki (Alive) / Unknown Girl (Alive)

**District Five **- Zaku Abumi (Dead as of 1-2-2) {Killed by Naruto Namikaze} / Unknown Girl (Dead as of 1-2-1)

**District Six **- Unknown Boy (Dead as of 1-2-1) / Unknown Girl (Dead as of 1-2-1)

**District Seven **-Unknown Boy (Dead as of 1-2-1) / Unknown Girl (Dead as of 1-2-1)

**District Eight **- Juugo (Alive) / Karin (Alive)

**District Nine **- Konohamaru Sarutobi (Alive) / Unknown Girl (Dead as of 1-2-1)

**District Ten **- Unknown Boy (Dead as of 1-2-1) / Unknown Girl (Dead as of 1-2-1)

**District Eleven **- Unknown Boy (Dead as of 1-2-1) {Killed by Kin Tsuchi} / Unknown Girl (Dead as of 1-2-1)

**District Twelve **- Naruto Namikaze (Alive) / Kin Tsuchi (Alive)

**Authors Note**

Before anyone comments on the almost rape, I feel I should admit that I actually would be extremely surprised if it never happened before in the actual Games of the Hunger Games books. While the subject was never brought up, it does seem like something entirely possible in my mind. You've got twenty-four 12-18 year olds, half and half of each gender, and they're essentially being locked in a room and told to kill each other. It was shown that some stylists had their tributes going out on stage naked or in clothes to accentuate their natural curves and beauty. I'd expect some of the older tributes to be thinking something along the perverted lines naturally and since they're going to most likely die in the coming weeks I wouldn't be surprised if some of them took advantage of the injured or weak to satisfy themselves.

We had mentions of a cannibal in earlier Games and that was taboo as the kid was killed off. However given how natural and happy the Capital was shown to see the tributes in little to no clothing at times, I'm pretty sure if a couple tributes were to start banging each other in the arena, willingly or not, I believe they'd let it happen. That doesn't mean I'll write it though which is why I had Naruto's clone jump in to stop it.

There also won't be any sex scenes in this story, I'll admit that now. Later, after the first 'book' I'll mention a couple times where characters have sex but this story will never have a lemon of any kind.

Another point I want to mention is how I wrote from the point of view of a clone when I'm supposed to stick to just Naruto. Well since Naruto get's the memories of his Kage Bunshin, there will be the occasional time I write from the clone's point of view since in the end it is Naruto's point of view. Just a little note for everyone.


End file.
